L.A. Clean Streets

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Why we love it

The L.A. Clean Streets map does more than provide data about litter. It helps build healthy relationships between citizens and government in Los Angeles. It sparks honest conversations about which Los Angeles neighborhoods need the most help with litter cleanup, how to prioritise cleanup efforts near schools, where to find illegal dumping sites, and where to make more trash bins available. 

Why it works

This map works visually because it borrows a set of colours very familiar to the topic and the audience—the same red, yellow, and green used in traffic signals. Then, just like in a navigation app, this map uses red to call attention to a problem. The visual patterns that emerge require human context, which the city provides by calculating and showing neighborhoods and schools that need the most help.

Important steps

  • Turn raw data into actionable information

    The city collected its own data, street by street, and assigned each street a qualitative score: 1 = Clean, 2 = Somewhat Clean, and 3 = Not Clean
    The city’s clean street data
    The dirtiest streets in L.A.

  • Use colour to support the complete story

    Most streets are clean, so use a positive colour (green). Use an alert colour (red) for the worst streets, and a transitional colour (yellow) for the areas that could go either way. The overall goal is to drive the reds and yellows off the map.

  • Allow zooming to see full city impact

    People need to be able to zoom into their block and zoom out to see the entire city. Let the user click on a street, neighbourhood, or school to see the score.

  • Score the streets

    Count and score the streets within each neighbourhood to find those with a higher than “normal” amount of trash nearby. By scoring geographic areas, you have a way to prioritise the work in a holistic way, making an impact area by area.
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Requirements

  • Data and software

    The City's Bureau of Sanitation drove L.A.'s public streets and alleys, giving the block a cleanliness score, as part of Mayor Eric Garcetti's Clean Streets initiative. This will be repeated every quarter. Software used: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Network Analyst, ArcGIS Online.
    Clean Streets L.A.

  • Analysis

    Data is aggregated into operational grids, which help the Bureau of Sanitation strategically deploy resources, like Clean Streets clean-up crew. The Clean Routes to Schools map shows the number of dirty streets within a ¼-mile walking distance of each Los Angeles school.
    Service area analysis

  • Time

    Driving all the streets in Los Angeles was the biggest time requirement. Publishing the layer to ArcGIS Online took one day to complete the initial draft, which involved fine-tuning the symbology using Smart Mapping and creating the Story Map.
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Tips and tricks

  • Put point data into grids

    Collect your point data into grids to get a better understanding of overall patterns.

  • Use a dark grey pop-up

    Better highlight your text while also matching the dark grey basemap by using a dark grey pop-up.

  • Use Network Analyst’s Service Area tool

    Calculate a ¼-mile walking distance around each school.
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Resources

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Lilian Coral, chief data officer, at work

Map Author

Lilian Coral

Chief Data Officer for the City of Los Angeles, in the Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti. Native of Colombia; product of Los Angeles; student of the world. Advocate for social justice, travel, and the NYC Knicks!

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