New Jersey, NYC, and New Jersey Open Data Initiatives
Whether you are in New York or New Jersey, there are numerous projects underway to increase the availability of open data to residents and organizations. These projects include: a New Jersey open data strategy, the NYC Open Data Policy, and several open data projects that are currently underway in New York City.
Policy guidelines
Developing Citywide Open Data policies requires appropriate governance and technical controls to ensure open data is available to the public. It's a complex endeavor, and the process is a work in progress. Fortunately, there are a few steps that can help jumpstart a citywide policy.
One important step is to make sure that agency data sets are accessible to the public. The Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) is responsible for providing a public portal for all public data. The portal will include a catalog of all City data sets. The platform will use open internet standards to provide access to the public.
Another important step is to create accurate metadata for all public data sets. To create accurate metadata, agencies must regularly maintain the data set. The data set must also be accessible to the public, as well as third-party search engines. The City's Chief Information Security Officer will oversee the public data sets.
The City's open data standards manual is a guide to creating public data sets. It includes guidance on mandatory and other data, as well as training materials. The document also notes data-quality issues. It also notes that NYC's open data program is still working to figure out the best ways to engage staff and make data accessible to the public.
It's also important to note that NYC's open data program has only been in place for a few years. However, it has already surpassed 1 million unique users and is one of the largest municipal data portals in the world.
It's important to remember that, although the Open Data Law requires publication of all public datasets by December 31, 2018, the deadline is not a firm deadline. Instead, it's a guideline to ensure the public's right to access all datasets.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) manages over one million street signs in New York City. It's also responsible for maintaining New York City's historical record. The department is required to post a technical standards manual on its website.
While the City's open data program is relatively young, it's already begun to incorporate lessons learned from other jurisdictions. It's also been commended by the National Association of Chief Information Officers for its critical role in promoting government transparency.
New Jersey's open data strategy
Despite being the first state in the country to adopt an open data strategy, New Jersey still has a ways to go to get its public information out to the public. In fact, the state consistently receives a "C-" grade from the Public Interest Research Group. The good news is that there are a number of solutions available to improve the state's transparency.
The NJOIT Open Data Center is the primary NJ open data portal. The site provides access to data on a variety of topics, including crime, school districts, environmental protection, health care, and more. The site does not include all of the state's databases, however.
The site also features an innovative scout tool, which allows users to find open data without having to browse through pages of text. The site also includes Crashmapper, which helps advocates prioritize dangerous intersections.
The New Jersey Department of Education's website is a great place to find student and staff information, including performance, budget, and accountability data. The site also has a database of finance data.
The State of New Jersey has also recently adopted the NJOIT Open Data Center, which integrates a range of NJ databases and sources. The site also includes an interactive query system, which allows users to create tables and graphs. It is not the most comprehensive NJ open data portal, though.
The NJ Department of Health has also not enabled downloads of pandemic data. Similarly, Pennsylvania's open data strategy is limited to a raw data download for statewide and sub-regional levels.
The NJ Open Data Initiative is a good step forward, but the state needs to continue to meet OPRA requests. It is also time for government agencies to develop a long-term strategy for open data. The state should consider adopting best practices from other states, and encourage its own employees to work on a transparency program.
The state should also look into creating a dashboard for COVID-19 data. This would provide the quickest and most logical way to see how the law is being implemented. It could also shed light on policy debates about reforming the law.
NYC's open data projects
Providing access to government-produced data sets is the core purpose of NYC Open Data. It enables New Yorkers to engage with government information and to use that data for analysis and to make change.
The city has taken a big step in making public data accessible by establishing the first ever strategic plan for the initiative. The plan includes a roadmap of action for the next decade. It also highlights the various ways that open data is used by New Yorkers. Specifically, it looks at how data is used by teachers, entrepreneurs, and activists.
The best part about NYC's open data projects is that they can be used by anyone. As an example, the Mayor's Office of Data Analytics (MODA) works with City agencies on advanced analytics projects. They provide open data and metadata for use by citizens, researchers, developers, and other users. This is a great way to help people make better decisions, whether they are deciding where to live, how to spend their money, or who should have access to health care.
Another project, the Metadata for All, explored how metadata could be improved to be more useful and relevant for all New Yorkers. The team conducted user research and consulted with community members to create recommendations for data dictionaries.
The Data Clinic team did a similar study of New York City's subway system, which moves millions of passengers daily. The team analyzed local datasets and built maps of the stations and turnstiles. They then moderated a panel discussion on school safety.
The city's Open Data team has also announced a pilot program to teach teachers how to better understand and use data in the classroom. This is a great opportunity to teach students about the important role that data plays in their lives.
As a librarian, you have probably used data in your work. But, did you know that you can make your data easier to use? Using the correct language and presenting your data in a new way can make it even more useful.
For more information about open data and the best way to use it, check out the NYC Open Data site. It's a great resource for quantitative data analysis.
It will rain again: data needs and opportunities in a post-Ida New York City
During the 48 hours before Hurricane Ida made landfall, it dumped more than ten inches of rain on parts of the Northeast, including New York City. It also spawned numerous tornadoes in the region.
After Ida's landfall, the storm weakened. But it will still be an active threat to the southeastern United States and the mid-Atlantic over the next few days. Some of the most powerful downpours occurred in the area surrounding Lake Pontchartrain.
AccuWeather forecasters predict that Ida will continue to cause significant flooding through the week. Its center will be in the southeastern United States, moving toward the Tennessee Valley on Monday. It is expected to bring "tremendous" rainfall to the central Appalachians, and "locally damaging" wind gusts are expected across portions of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.
The New York metropolitan area was not prepared for Ida's impact. The storm brought 200% of normal rainfall to the city over the past 30 days. It also drew attention to the need for stronger infrastructure.
Ida's remnants inundated many New York subway tunnels and flooded inland neighborhoods. It also slammed the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport with a 90-mph wind gust.
Ida's path left questions about how well prepared the city was for climate change, as well as how to best protect residents against future storms. However, it will take years for some of the communities in the area to recover from the damage.
The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Ida to a tropical depression. It is expected to move inland and become a tropical rainstorm as it heads towards the Northeast later this week. It will be a "tropical rainstorm" when it reaches the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, and will have the potential to produce widespread impacts.
As Ida approaches the Atlantic Ocean, it will be a threat to coastal areas from the Florida Panhandle to the southern Appalachians. It is expected to bring significant amounts of rain to areas of the southeast, including the Carolinas, Maryland, and Virginia. Those areas will be at risk for severe thunderstorms Tuesday through Tuesday night.
