Geography 417
Mapping Exercise 3: Transportation and Housing in Urban California
Make sure you print out a back-up copy of your results page (the page that comes up after you click submit).
In this exercise, you will use the on-line mapping tool called DDViewer to examine the relationship between transportation and housing patterns in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The objectives of this exercise include:
1) The student will produce maps using an on-line software program.
2) The student will interpret data and cartographic representations of the data.
3) The student will distinguish between two major strategies for classifying mapped data.
4) The student will be able to describe and analyze the relationship between transportation systems and housing in LA and SF.
5) The student will recognize patterns of urban morphology.
6) The student will answer questions correctly on the test regarding concepts and terms in bold presented below.
Background: California has two of the most unique cities in the nation: Los Angeles and San Francisco. The two cities have many things in common, but the differences are striking. Politically, economically, culturally and socially these two West Coast giants have competed for dominance for decades. One factor that both creates AND is created by the differences in the two cities is the transportation systems of each city. In this exercise you will examine and analyze the relationship between housing and transportation in LA and San Francisco.
Instructions:
1) Fill in your name (first name first) and email in the response boxes below.
USE THE TAB BUTTON OR MOUSE TO MOVE CURSOR BETWEEN RESPONSE BOXES. IF YOU PRESS ENTER, THE FORM WILL SUBMIT AND YOU MAY HAVE TO START OVER.
Name (first name first) email. Four Digit Student Code
2) Press Ctrl + N at the same time. This action will open a second browser window. In one window you will read these directions and fill in answers, in the other you will launch the DDViewer, the mapping application upon which this exercise is built. You can use Alt + Tab to switch quickly between the two open browser windows.
3) In the second browser window, click on the link to the right à http://www.ciesin.org or skip to step #5…
4) Click on the Online Tools and Applications link on the left hand tool bar.
5) Scroll down to the United States Demographic Data Viewer (DDViewer) link and click on it. This will launch the viewer’s “home page”.
6) Click on the words “Java Edition v3.0” and give it a moment to load.
7) You should see the window in figure 1 below.
Figure 1
8) Next you need to select the state you wish to further inspect or analyze. Make sure the “Select” radial button is checked, so you can select California by clicking on California. See Figure 2 below. Then click “Get Counties” button
9) Using your cursor, click on the outline of California. What you have indicated to the software by highlighting California is that you want to map some variables in the highlighted (now orange) state.
Figure 2
10) Once you have selected California, a green base map of California’s counties will appear. You are now ready to select the county of your choice by clicking on a specific county within California. (See Figure 3 below).
Figure 3
11) Next you need to click on the “zoom in” button to better see San Francisco County. Use your mouse to move your cursor onto the map screen. Notice that your pointer has become a crosshairs (plus sign +).
12) Position your crosshairs above and to the left of the San Francisco Bay area. Click and drag a box around the Bay Area and release. The map will zoom into the area within the box that created. See Figure 4 below. Select (orange)San Francisco County by clicking on it once.
Figure 4
13) Click on the Get Tracts button to bring up a new map of San Francisco County divided into Census Tracts. The mapper will automatically zoom in to the selected county.
14) Click on the “Select Vars” button to bring up a dialog box displaying a list of variables that you can use to make a choropleth map. The first variable you are going to map is of population density in San Francisco, so select from the variable list “poppsqmi”. Click submit job and you should have a map that looks like the one in figure 5 below.
Figure 5
15) You should begin formulating hypotheses about the pattern that appears. Ask yourself, “Why are some places in San Francisco densely populated and other not so densely populated?” (but not out loud because people sitting next to you in the lab will think you’re weird).
16) You may want to click on customize map and change the data classification system to Equal Intervals. Do this by clicking on the radial button next to the words Eq. Intervals. See figure 6 below.
Figure 6
17) Take another look at your map. Notice in the upper-left corner of the map window, there are now specific numbers indicating the high and low points for each data interval. You should also click on the “Statistical Info” button to get another look at these numbers. Answer questions 1 through 4 below
Questions: Place your answer in the response box at the end of each question.
Question 1: What is the lowest population density per square mile in San Francisco County? Answer 1à (round to nearest whole number)
Question 2: What is the highest population density per square mile in SFC? Answer 2. à:
Question 3: What is the mean (average) population density in SFC? Answer 3à:
Question 4: What is the standard deviation (click for info) for the population density in SFC? Answer 4à
18) Now you will turn your attention to housing patterns in SFC. You will be mapping the pattern of apartments vs. single family houses, the age of housing and the value of housing.
19) In the map window, click on the “Select Vars” button to make sure the Select Variables window is open and active.
20) In the Select Variables window, click on the “Housing” button to activate the list of housing variables. Scroll down the list and select the following variables from the list:
a. totunits – total number of housing units
b. pctunit1 – percent of housing in single family units
c. pctunit5 – percent of housing units with 5 or more units (apartments)
d. medyrblt – median year housing built
e. builtp40 – number of units built prior to 1940 (be careful not to select the similar category further down on the list)
f. medhval – median house value
g. medrent – median rent
21) Click on submit job and wait for the first map of totunits to appear. Peruse your maps. Click on each of the variable names in the variable name box in the map window to make maps of each variable. Get a feeling for the patterns that emerge. Answer question 5 below.
Question 5: Looking through the maps of the variable list above, which of those variable below shows the most random (not clustered) pattern?
d. medhval – median house value
Answer 5à:
22) In the map window, click on the pctunit5 Customize Map button. Click on equal intervals to recreate the map. Make a clear mental note of the pattern you see here. You’ll be asked to compare this map to the next one you make. You can also
· You can also make a copy of this map that can be pasted into another application by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Print Screen simultaneously and then Ctrl+V (paste) in the other application.
Question 6: In which quadrant of the city is the percentage of people living in apartment highest?
b. Southeast
c. Northeast
d. Central Section (not really a quadrant)
e. Northwest
Answer 6:
23) Now make a map of the age of housing in SFC using the variable “medyrblt” (median year built)
24) In the customize map window, select the Customize option, so you can classify the data as you’d like.
25) In the “Enter break Value:” window, enter the following dates, and click apply after each date: 1940, 1960 and 1980. This will give you a map of housing built before World War II, during the Vietnam era (roughly) and relatively new housing (post 1980s). See figure 7 below to see how your “Customize Output” window should appear.
26) Return to your map window and examine your results. Answer question 7 below.
Figure 7
Question 7: From the map of median year built, which of these conclusions can you reach?
a. Almost all the apartments appear to have been built during the 1960s
b. Those areas with the largest percentage of apartments, is mostly new construction since 1980
c. The area with the largest percentage of apartments also has a large percentage of housing built before 1940.
d. All of these are true.
Answer 7à
Question 8: How would you describe the pattern of housing built after 1940?
a. Most of the housing built after 1940 is in the Southern part of SFC.
b. Most of the housing built after 1940 is in the very center of SFC
c. Most of the housing built after 1940 is on the western edge of SFC.
d. Most of the housing built after 1940 is on the outside edges of SFC.
Answer 8à
27) Now that you have taken a close look at the age and type of housing, it is time to begin examining the causal variables behind the patterns you have observed. Below are a group of thumbnails maps. When you click on the thumbnail, it will take you to a full screen map of SFC that I have made using some of the same variables, but with additional information (things unavailable to you in the DDViewer). Look them over and answer the questions below the grid of thumbnails.
Thumbnail Maps of San Francisco: Housing, Population, Landmarks and Transportation Patterns
(click to hyperlink to full size maps)
Population Density by Quartiles w/ rail
Population Density by Custom w/Hwy
Population Density by Custom w/ Rail
Population Density by Eq. Inter w/Rail
Population Density by Quartiles w/Rail
Percent White with Rail
Housing Density by Custom w/ Hwy
Housing Density by Custom w/ rail
Housing Density with Parks and Landmarks
Figure 8
Question 9: Look at the maps in the uppermost row. Make sure you read the legend. Which of these transportation types shows the highest spatial correlation with high population density?
a. Muni Metro
b. CALTRAIN
c. Cable Cars
d. Interstate Highways
Answer 9à
28) Next make a map of percent of housing built before 1940. To do this, in the DDViewer map window, click on the “Build New Vars” button. A Variable Builder window will appear.
29) In this window, type the word “pctpre40” (percent built pre-1940) in the response box under the word Var Name (variable name). See figure 9 below.
30) Move your cursor to the “Built up Equation:” response box then click on the left parentheses “( “,then click once on the variable name “builtp40”, then click on the division sign “ / “, then on the variable name “ totunits”.
31) Add a right parentheses sign and “*100” to make it a percent. Your equation should look very similar to the one in figure 9 below.
Figure 9
Question 10: What transportation system seems to have the highest spatial correlation with areas with a high (over 50%) percent of housing built before 1940?
a. Interstate Highway
b. Cable Cars
c. BART
d. CALTRAIN
Answer à
Question 11: What do you think is behind the spatial relationships you have observed between population/housing and transportation systems in San Francisco County? Try to answer the question “Why are population densities high in some places”?
LOS ANGELES
32) Now turn your attention to Los Angeles county. Los Angeles has a much different urban pattern of housing and urban transportation. Your task will be to display your understanding of these differences.
33) By the end of this exercise you should be able to understand a bit better why people living in SF and LA have such different lifestyles.
34) In the map window, click on the “Sel New Region” button. This will return you to the map of California. See Figure 10.
35) Click on the outline shape of Los Angles County and click on the button “Get Tracts”. See Figure 11.
Figure 10 Figure 11
36) Hopefully you haven’t erased the list of variables you selected for San Francisco, if so, you can just click “Submit Job” button.
37) You probably will want to zoom in on the mainland of LA County, so click on the Zoom In button. This changes your cursor to a crosshairs and you can click and drag (position the cursor at the northwest corner of LA county and left click the mouse button, pull the mouse down and to the right, creating a red outline box around the area you want to zoom into) a box around the space on the map you want to see up close.
38) Examine your series of maps. Note the multiple differences between LA County and SFC.
39) If you don’t have population per square mile among the variables listed, please add it. It’s under the “population” list of variables. Answer the questions below.
Question 12: What is the maximum population density in LA County?
Answer à(round to the nearest whole number)
Question 13: What is the average population density in LA County?
40) In the grid table below are several maps of Los Angeles County with transportation routes superimposed on maps of population density. Click on each of the thumbnails to bring up the maps. Look at the maps and answer the questions listed below.
Population Density by Custom Interval w/Rail
Population Density by Custom Intervals with Highway (road markers minimized)
L.A. County Population Density with Highways
Population Density by Quartiles with Rail Lines
Population Density by Equal Interval
Federal, State and Local Lands
Percent of Owner Occupied Housing
Transportation Routes Displayed
Question 14: List several reasons why you think the population densities in LA County are on average so much lower than they are in San Francisco County
41) Examine the maps depicting population density in Los Angeles County. Focus your attention on the relationship between population density and transportation modes. Think about the patterns (or lack of patterns) visible in these maps. Answer the questions below.
Question 15: Where is the highest concentration of population in Los Angeles County?
a. Near where Interstate 405 and Interstate 10 intersect
b. Near where US.Highway 101 and Interstate 405 intersect
c. Near where US Highway 101 and Interstates 10 and 110 intersect.
d. Near where Interstate 210 and Interstate 605 intersect.
Question 16: The red Metro line runs through some of the most densely populated census block groups in Los Angeles County. Which of the statements below reflect the reality of the relationship between the two phenomena?
a. Many people moved to these areas because transportation is nearby, clean, efficient and inexpensive.
b. Authorities in Los Angeles County placed the red line through heavily populated neighborhoods to maximize red line ridership.
c. The land here is very cheap, therefore LA county could afford to build rail here and people could afford a house here.
d. There is probably no relationship between the location of the red line and high population densities.
Question 17: Focus on the Blue and Green Metro lines. You may want to zoom in. What is different about the population density patterns that you see around them in Los Angeles County, especially compared to the population density around cable car and Muni lines in San Francisco?
a. Population densities are higher around most Muni and cable car lines in San Francisco
b. Population densities are lower in the immediate vicinity of the green and blue Metro lines in Los Angeles County.
c. In Los Angeles County, the Metro blue and green lines went to places that had less pre-existing housing and in San Francisco the people followed and packed into neighborhoods with train lines.
Question 18: Notice the relationship between Owner Occupied Housing and highways in Los Angeles County. What conclusions might you logically draw from the map?
a. Proximity to highways and freeway access makes land expensive; therefore apartment complexes and businesses (which generate money) out-compete home owners for land near highways, making the percent of Owner Occupied housing lower near freeways.
b. Home owners, since they are wealthier than apartment dwellers, can afford to live very close to freeways and the map reflects that.
c. Land near highways is not desirable; therefore only poor people who live in apartments will build housing near highways.
d. Home owners are legally barred from buying land with 500 yards of an interstate.
Question 19: Why might people suggest that building a train/subway system in Los Angeles County not make a great deal of sense?
a. The pollution that a subway system would create is far too much in an already polluted county
b. The hills and valleys in Los Angeles County would make rail transportation ineffective.
c. Unlike people in other cities, commuters in Los Angeles commute in a variety of directions, making a rail system with a central focal point (like they have in San Francisco where jobs are mostly downtown) impracticable.
Question 20 OPEN ENDED QUESTION: A city’s investment in public transportation both reflects and structures its citizen’s political orientation toward public expenditures (taxes) for public goods. Discuss what you think are differences in this regard between Los Angeles and San Francisco. As you consider your answer, think about what factors, beyond anyone’s control today, that make (and may keep) Los Angeles and San Francisco very different places
42) After you have finished filling in each of the input boxes, INCLUDING the input box for your NAME!!!, click on the submit button below. A web page will appear confirming the posting of your answers to the email server. PRINT THE CONFIRMATION PAGE OUT AS EVIDENCE OF YOUR SUBMISSION. Thanks. I will email you all a confirmation of receipt.
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If you have comments or suggestions, email me at steve.graves@csun.edu