Washington Park 311 Infrastructure Inequities
MAPSCorps Internship Project
Background
The Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative, a non-profit organization, had partnered with MAPSCorps to facilitate the generation of community wealth and the promotion of local culture through shared pride, power, and investment in Chicago's mid-South Side. Their primary goal is to connect, engage, and support influential individuals, projects, and programs. The organization is committed to attracting and coordinating investment through community gatherings and collaborative partnerships to enhance local ownership and prosperity.
The 311 Service Requests in Chicago have been promoted as a comprehensive platform for resolving various local residential issues, including potholes and police services. However, it is imperative to assess the extent of its utilization by residents and the accuracy of the collected data in representing ongoing issues. As part of Emerald's non-profit grant, MAPSCorps has been tasked with addressing this inquiry by conducting research in the Washington Park community.
Historical Context
Washington Park is a significant neighborhood in the city of Chicago, both in terms of its historical significance and cultural contributions. One of its most notable features is the expansive Washington Park, which covers over 300 acres of land and features several sports fields, a lagoon, a swimming pool, and a playground. The park has been a gathering place for the community since its creation in the late 19th century and continues to be a hub of activity today.
In addition to the park, Washington Park is home to several notable landmarks, including the Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable museum. This museum is dedicated to the life and legacy of DuSable, a Haitian fur trader who is considered the founder of Chicago. The museum celebrates African American history and culture and provides visitors with a deep understanding of the contributions made by Black Americans to the development of the city of Chicago.
The Bud Billiken parade is another significant event held in Washington Park each year. This parade is the largest African American parade in the United States and has been held annually since 1929. It celebrates African American culture and heritage and draws large crowds from around the city and beyond.
Despite its cultural significance, Washington Park faces several challenges. The neighborhood has a per capita income that is less than half of the city's average, and poverty and crime remain persistent issues. However, the community remains resilient, and efforts are underway to revitalize the area and improve the quality of life for its residents.
Project's Objective Emerald South Collaborative prioritizes the advancement of prosperity in the Woodlawn, Washington Park, and South Shore neighborhoods. The organization places significant emphasis on shared power and endeavors to alter the prevailing perceptions of the South Side. A focused approach to rectifying infrastructure deficiencies is deemed essential to the reinvigoration of economic vitality within these communities. The prevalence of poor road conditions, notably excessive potholes, damaged sidewalks, faded road markers, and prevalent litter, not only poses safety hazards but also exerts socioeconomic ramifications. These issues engender heightened traffic accidents and depreciate property values, ultimately impacting the overall standard of living. The objective of this project is to systematically document and assess the road infrastructure requirements within Washington Park. These encompass but are not limited to potholes, excessive litter, abandoned structures, and vacant lots. The primary goal is to contrast the data amassed by MAPSCorps with the 311 Service Requests data, particularly within the Washington Park area, in order to discern disparities and pinpoint any deficiencies in the latter.
Project Strategy In accordance with the project's introduction, Washington Park was designated as the research area for our endeavor, funded by Emerald South's non-profit grant. However, the aforementioned the park was deliberately excluded from our scope of research. Instead, our focus was directed towards an area spanning east to west from S Dr. Martin Luther King Dr to the Dan Ryan Expressway, and north to south from 51st Street to 63rd, encompassing a total area of 0.90 square miles.
Our participants consisted of a total of 22 high school students involved in MAPSCorps STEM/Research curriculum, all coming from Kenwood Academy High School, Hyde Park Academy High School, and the University of Chicago Charter School: Woodlawn Campus, as well as 7 College Youths to teach, chaperone, and assist with virtual mapping every Saturday, from September 17th, 2022, to November 2nd, 2022. The students utilized ESRI's GIS field application, ArcGIS QuickCapture, to capture any broken/damaged infrastructure observations with the use of their smartphones.
The types of field observations collected were Survey data and Location data. Survey data is selected from a multi-choice questionnaire that details how severe the observed damage is– from Low to High. Location data requires the geographical location and a photo of the observations. We’re able to capture latitude and longitude, damage severity, and photos taken by students as well as store them into our database which populates the featured layer map in ArcGIS Online, which users can then use to view and analyze important information as it relates to urban infrastructure.
Listed below are the many fields that the youth surveyors collected within the Survey and Location fields:
Survey Data: Project Findings Conclusions Pictured above are infrastructure flaws in Washington Park captured using ArcGIS QuickCapture by MAPSCorps Mappers.
The partnership between Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative and MAPCorps is an excellent example of how community-based organizations can work together with technology to address issues affecting their neighborhoods. The use of ArcGIS QuickCapture application allowed the organizations to collect data on the different infrastructural flaws of Washington Park efficiently and effectively.
The recorded data provided valuable insight into the state of the infrastructure in Washington Park. The comparison of the data to the City of Chicago's 311 Service Requests helped to identify the most common issues affecting the community. Damaged sidewalks, vacant lots, and overgrowth were the top three infrastructural flaws, with a total of 245, 211, and 183 instances recorded, respectively.
These infrastructural flaws are not only a nuisance but also impact the overall look and feel of the community. The presence of vacant lots and overgrowth can give the impression of neglect and disinvestment, while damaged sidewalks can create hazardous conditions for pedestrians.
By identifying these infrastructural flaws, the Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative and MAPCorps can work towards addressing these issues and improving the overall quality of life for residents of Washington Park. This partnership highlights the importance of community engagement and the use of technology to address real-world issues affecting neighborhoods.
Future Use Emerald Collaborative has the potential to use the spatial data it has gathered in various ways, such as comparing infrastructure deficiencies in different communities. This analysis can help assess whether 311 Service Requests are effectively tracking infrastructure issues within these communities. Additionally, the data can provide valuable insights for making investment decisions and planning strategic initiatives. Emerald Collaborative are also able to freely share the collected data from MAPSCorps with various organizations, including the Chicago Department of Transportation, ChiBlockBuilder, and the City of Chicago's Landscape Ordinance to provide awareness to stakeholders and investors into addressing the infrastructure disparities currently in the Washington Park neighborhood.
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