Extreme Heat Daily Life Disruptions

Getting to work is becoming more difficult amid extended periods of extreme heat. Much road and rail infrastructure isn't designed to handle extremely high temperatures. Road surfaces are buckling, leading to more costly maintenance and daily commute disruptions. The deformation of railway tracks due to extreme heat is causing service delays for rail commuters, and air conditioning on trains and buses is struggling to keep up with increasing temperatures.

Moreover, heat poses a major health and safety threat to those who work outdoors or lack access to adequate cooling, especially construction, food service, and agricultural workers, and it can also decrease the productivity of knowledge and office workers. In response, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is considering a rule that would establish the first-ever federal safety standard addressing excessive heat in the workplace. At the local level, Phoenix and Tucson both passed outdoor worker heat safety ordinances in 2024. Some states, however, are preventing or preempting local governments from adopting such protections. Planners should be aware of efforts at the state and local levels to protect workers from the burdens of these hazards.

Homes are also at risk for extreme heat, especially for renters. Air conditioning is increasingly seen as a necessity, not a luxury. While laws nationwide require landlords to heat rental units in cold weather, no such legislation exists for summer cooling. Activists are calling for stronger protections for renters who lack protection from extreme heat. In New York City, a proposed bill would require air conditioning for renters, and the federal government has released guidance to help public housing agencies protect tenants from extreme heat.

Cooling centers can play an important role in providing shelter from extreme heat. Often housed in schools, libraries, and other community buildings, these facilities are being set up more often and for longer than in past years. But getting residents to use them can be a challenge; barriers range from a lack of transportation to the cooling center to fear of the stigma of needing to use it. As extreme heat becomes more common, planners can take steps to embed heat resilience into the fabric of our communities, build public awareness of cooling centers, and integrate other supportive services to reach those most in need.