Tag: OpenPlans

Free high resolution maps of Chicago on which to draw

For a Grid Chicago article I was writing, I wanted to draw on a map to demonstrate to readers where people were commuting and not commuting. I wanted the map to show CTA lines. I didn’t want to use a Google Maps screenshot because it would have been low resolution, and I didn’t think the styling would be appropriate.

I opened up TileMill and whipped up my own maps! I already had the base layers set up for the Chicago Bike Map app, so I duplicated that project and then added the Chicago Transit Authority and Metra train lines with data and styles prepared by OpenPlans (created for its Chicago bike sharing Shareabouts installation; download the data and styles here). Highways, the most common geographic reference point in cities, are also included on the map.

Data comes from OpenStreetMap contributors and the styling is OSM-Bright.

Go grab them on Flickr. Use them as needed but please provide attribution to “Steven Vance, OpenPlans, and OpenStreetMap contributors”.

Chicago map, with Metra

Chicago map, with CTA

Chicago map, with CTA and Metra

TransportationCamp West

TransportationCamp West was an unconference that took place on March 19th and 20th in San Francisco at Public Works SF and other locations (restaurants, the street, online).

I only went on Saturday and attended four topic sessions (view the full schedule with 28 topic sessions). These are the writeups of my notes and links to others’ writeups.

My writeups

Others’ writeups