Tag: Mapping and Spatial Analysis

1.What are the implications of your analysis? Is this an example of good access to resources, or are there challenges here? Is this an issue of spatial injustice?

So for this project I pined Edwardsville Township Community Park, 6368 Center Grove Rd, Edwardsville, IL 62025, I did this because if you want to do homework at the park this is route you would have to take.

Car – 7 minutes

Bus – 34 minutes

Walking-58 minutes

Biking-15 minutes

This is just a event of spatial injustice due the the school being isolated from the main popular area in Edwardsville. walking and bus would be inconvenient but still do able, I Believe there is a good source of access due to it being a popular area

2.Reflect a little on your spatial analysis lab. What observations did you make? Have the things you noticed impacted how you experience SIUE and/or Edwardsville? How do you think they might impact others’ experiences, whether they’re students, faculty/staff, or community members? What do you think has caused the patterns you identified? If there’s an element of spatial injustice in what you observed, how might it be addressed?

Some patterns I identified was the bus access to different points around campus and the surrounding Edwardsville area. I believe this is because the location is well known and many people need options to commute to school. If you lived outside of Edwardsville and had no mode of transportation it would prove difficult to go to school everyday especially if you were to walk. Having a car or bike is really the only way to make it to class especially on time. I think there is an element of Spatial injustice, when it comes to walking or taking the bus for students who live outside of Edwardsville, but besides that it seems pretty easy to get to school, the only complaint i would bring to the table is that the school is far away from the parking lots and kind of in the middle of no where. if there was less space between the school and the city it would be easier for people to commute.

For this lab, I used Google My Maps to explore the area around Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and analyze how different resources are distributed. I focused on restaurants as my main example. When I added pins, I noticed that most of the restaurants were clustered along major roads and commercial areas, especially closer to the center of Edwardsville. Around campus itself, there were fewer options within walking distance, which shows that resources are not evenly spread out.

The closest location I found was a fast-food restaurant just a few minutes away by car. Driving there was quick and convenient, but biking would take longer and require more effort. Public transportation options were limited, which could make it harder for students without cars to access these places. When I looked at a location I personally preferred, like a higher-quality restaurant, it was even farther away. This increased the cost and time, especially if you don’t have a car. Gas, time, and effort all become factors, which shows how access can depend a lot on transportation.

From this analysis, I think SIUE has decent access to resources, but it is not equal for everyone. Students with cars have many more options, while those without cars may struggle more. This could be seen as a small example of spatial inequality because access depends on your situation, not just your location.

This lab changed how I see the area around campus. Before, I didn’t really think about how things are placed, but now I notice that businesses are grouped in certain areas for economic reasons, like being close to busy roads or where more people pass by. This impacts students, staff, and community members differently. For example, international students or students without transportation might feel more limited in their choices.

I think these patterns happen because businesses want to be in profitable locations, and cities are designed around cars. To improve this, there could be better public transportation, more bike-friendly routes, or even more services closer to campus. Overall, this lab helped me understand how geography affects daily life and access to resources in a real way.