Jen Mapes
@mapesgeog.bsky.social
Community geographer, cartographer, pedestrian, cyclist. Author of "The New American Small Town: Lessons for sustainable urban futures" (West Virginia University Press, June 2025). https://communitygeography.kent.edu/
Yeah, small towns (and big cities) -- Let's do this!
New research shows 1 in 5 car owners want to live car-free, and a majority are open to it. The issue isn’t demand... it’s policy. Outdated zoning rules make walkable neighborhoods scarce, expensive, and often illegal to build across most communities.
www.remainplaces.com/post/the-gre...
www.remainplaces.com/post/the-gre...
The Great Unbuckling: American’s Growing Hunger for Life Without a Car
For decades, the "American Dream" has been synonymous with a two-car garage and a wide suburban driveway. But a new study from Arizona State University reveals a massive shift in what we actually want...
www.remainplaces.com
January 27, 2026 at 11:27 PM
Yeah, small towns (and big cities) -- Let's do this!
Schools closed for Day 3 tomorrow. The text mentioned sidewalks, which I appreciate bc it raises awareness, but last time it snowed this much (4 years ago) the sidewalks were uncleared for at least a month. So, thanks, but one more day does nothing. Structural change is required.
City Schools: must close, too cold, dangerous for our walkers. Meanwhile, at every street corner:
January 27, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Schools closed for Day 3 tomorrow. The text mentioned sidewalks, which I appreciate bc it raises awareness, but last time it snowed this much (4 years ago) the sidewalks were uncleared for at least a month. So, thanks, but one more day does nothing. Structural change is required.
City Schools: must close, too cold, dangerous for our walkers. Meanwhile, at every street corner:
January 27, 2026 at 7:13 PM
City Schools: must close, too cold, dangerous for our walkers. Meanwhile, at every street corner:
There’s a point where shoveling your sidewalk feels more symbolic than practical bc no one else is going it. (But YES the student renters next door shoved their sidewalk too and YES they built a massive snow cave)
January 26, 2026 at 7:27 PM
There’s a point where shoveling your sidewalk feels more symbolic than practical bc no one else is going it. (But YES the student renters next door shoved their sidewalk too and YES they built a massive snow cave)
Reposted by Jen Mapes
Reminder that some US cities have teams clearing sidewalks -- not just roads -- when a major snowstorm strikes. Yours could, too.
More Cities Are Taking Responsibility for Clearing Sidewalks of Snow — Streetsblog USA
Rochester, Burlington, Minneapolis, Duluth and Syracuse have either started clearing sidewalks or are moving in that direction.
usa.streetsblog.org
January 25, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Reminder that some US cities have teams clearing sidewalks -- not just roads -- when a major snowstorm strikes. Yours could, too.
One of my favorite saves from recycling is this Atlas of the Grand Cañon. I brought it out to show the fourth graders. The cover credits John Wesley Powell but the title page says the author is geologist Capt. Clarence Dutton, 1882.
January 23, 2026 at 9:26 PM
One of my favorite saves from recycling is this Atlas of the Grand Cañon. I brought it out to show the fourth graders. The cover credits John Wesley Powell but the title page says the author is geologist Capt. Clarence Dutton, 1882.
Considering doing a series of these as a nerdy way to decompress at night while my kid watches Dr who. Will not be doing all 31,000 USPSs.
January 23, 2026 at 12:45 PM
Considering doing a series of these as a nerdy way to decompress at night while my kid watches Dr who. Will not be doing all 31,000 USPSs.
Reposted by Jen Mapes
"One proposed solution to the gridlock and parking problems at many of the country’s major national parks is expanding access via Amtrak trains" HELL YES www.thetravel.com/why-amtrak-a...
Why Amtrak-Accessible Parks Could Become The National Park System’s Future
As we move toward more sustainable travel options, having more Amtrak-accessible National Parks might be a crucial move.
www.thetravel.com
January 22, 2026 at 12:38 AM
"One proposed solution to the gridlock and parking problems at many of the country’s major national parks is expanding access via Amtrak trains" HELL YES www.thetravel.com/why-amtrak-a...
Maps in the wild: carved in the wood rail on the walk to Brandywine Falls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
January 18, 2026 at 2:42 AM
Maps in the wild: carved in the wood rail on the walk to Brandywine Falls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Reposted by Jen Mapes
Made a little topo activity for the fourth graders visiting my lab, translating a DEM of Cuyahoga Valley National Park into LEGO. My kid (home for the snow day) tested it and opines: "I think the river needs to be widened, it's too skinny." So much for cartographic accuracy 🫠
January 15, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Made a little topo activity for the fourth graders visiting my lab, translating a DEM of Cuyahoga Valley National Park into LEGO. My kid (home for the snow day) tested it and opines: "I think the river needs to be widened, it's too skinny." So much for cartographic accuracy 🫠
Reposted by Jen Mapes
When I move into a house I am just like anybody else: I like to immediately get settled in and orientate myself by drawing a map of the immediate area, themed entirely around the habits of squirrels.
January 15, 2026 at 8:26 AM
When I move into a house I am just like anybody else: I like to immediately get settled in and orientate myself by drawing a map of the immediate area, themed entirely around the habits of squirrels.
Also, why are we putting this on Parks & Rec? Especially if this is a Safe Routes to School project. Sure the bridge goes to a trail along the river, but it's also one of the few useful connections to bike or walk north/south but avoid downtown (no bike lanes there). It's TRANSPORTATION.
Great news! Our city is planning to replace a narrow sidewalk on a bridge with a shared use path! But this wording in the local news is just 🫠🙄 #snowmobilities
January 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Also, why are we putting this on Parks & Rec? Especially if this is a Safe Routes to School project. Sure the bridge goes to a trail along the river, but it's also one of the few useful connections to bike or walk north/south but avoid downtown (no bike lanes there). It's TRANSPORTATION.
Great news! Our city is planning to replace a narrow sidewalk on a bridge with a shared use path! But this wording in the local news is just 🫠🙄 #snowmobilities
January 14, 2026 at 12:47 PM
Great news! Our city is planning to replace a narrow sidewalk on a bridge with a shared use path! But this wording in the local news is just 🫠🙄 #snowmobilities
I teach "Mapping, Space, and Power" starting tomorrow. This 1942 LAT map came into my head from my grad school days and I spent hours reviving an old hard drive to find it. I can't believe it isn't *everywhere* in lit about understanding the power of maps but it is surprisingly hard to find online.
January 11, 2026 at 9:41 PM
I teach "Mapping, Space, and Power" starting tomorrow. This 1942 LAT map came into my head from my grad school days and I spent hours reviving an old hard drive to find it. I can't believe it isn't *everywhere* in lit about understanding the power of maps but it is surprisingly hard to find online.
Reposted by Jen Mapes
Senate Bill 1 is reshaping Ohio public universities; 5 major changes
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/open/2026/01...
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/open/2026/01...
Senate Bill 1 is reshaping Ohio public universities; 5 major changes
From eliminated degree programs to disbanded DEI offices, changes enacted by the controversial Senate Bill 1 have transformed Ohio's higher education landscape and prompted neighboring states to recru...
www.cleveland.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:39 PM
Senate Bill 1 is reshaping Ohio public universities; 5 major changes
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/open/2026/01...
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/open/2026/01...
Not a new concern, but ongoing and amplified by new shiny tech. (I made this to hang in my community geography lab not to hate on GIS, but as a reminder to get outside sometimes)
January 8, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Not a new concern, but ongoing and amplified by new shiny tech. (I made this to hang in my community geography lab not to hate on GIS, but as a reminder to get outside sometimes)
Reposted by Jen Mapes
A Washington Post article suggests that, beyond a certain threshold, larger homes don't make people happier. Instead, well-being is correlated with affordable housing in walkable neighborhoods where they feel socially connected.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
![Excerpt reads: "Prioritize your neighborhood
Neighborhoods drive our happiness (or unhappiness) more than we think.
When Lina Martinez, director of POLIS, the Center for Wellbeing Studies at Universidad Icesi in Colombia, studied the happiness of households in the city of Cali, she couldn’t find much difference between poorer and richer areas. “Their happiness is pretty much the same,” she said. But that changed when she isolated neighborhood conditions, such as access to transit, health care and parks. “The conditions of the neighborhood affect happiness,” she said. “I can’t link that to the space where [people] live.”
That aligns with findings from a 2023 study of the Vancouver metro area: Researchers found no significant differences in well-being between people living in single detached homes, duplexes, townhouses, laneway houses and apartment buildings (basement units smaller than 300 square feet were the only negative exception). What did people say they missed most in their neighborhood? Affordability, proximity to family and friends, and a sense of community. Home design was eighth on the list."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ks3gpa6ftoyaq7hmf6c4qx4c/bafkreicapfknasylzk2lqzaxxeb5mchgnru75obggn45dusda6j5zogvuu@jpeg)
January 7, 2026 at 4:29 AM
A Washington Post article suggests that, beyond a certain threshold, larger homes don't make people happier. Instead, well-being is correlated with affordable housing in walkable neighborhoods where they feel socially connected.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Reposted by Jen Mapes
It's been one year since the Los Angeles wildfires. The hardest hit communities will never be the same.
Standing up for climate justice matters most when the news cycle has moved on.
Standing up for climate justice matters most when the news cycle has moved on.
🇺🇸 A year on, Los Angeles fire survivors struggle to rebuild
Altadena was hardest hit by the fires that ravaged parts of Los Angeles in January 2025. The suburb is slowly coming back to life but many fear this diverse town will lose its soul because people cannot afford to rebuild.
Altadena was hardest hit by the fires that ravaged parts of Los Angeles in January 2025. The suburb is slowly coming back to life but many fear this diverse town will lose its soul because people cannot afford to rebuild.
January 6, 2026 at 4:40 PM
It's been one year since the Los Angeles wildfires. The hardest hit communities will never be the same.
Standing up for climate justice matters most when the news cycle has moved on.
Standing up for climate justice matters most when the news cycle has moved on.
Here in Kent, the local bank restored a small old grocery store in our town's South End. However, they're now selling it for $275k+ so we'll see how that goes. ht.bank/hometown-fou...
January 6, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Here in Kent, the local bank restored a small old grocery store in our town's South End. However, they're now selling it for $275k+ so we'll see how that goes. ht.bank/hometown-fou...
Greetings from the Rust Belt.
January 6, 2026 at 12:25 PM
Greetings from the Rust Belt.
Reposted by Jen Mapes
I think a fundamental problem in 2026 is the good solutions require smaller first year classes where we can create new assessment methods (oral presentations, digital research projects, etc). LLMs break the assignments that worked OK with big groups. But no one is investing in hiring professors.
January 5, 2026 at 1:07 PM
I think a fundamental problem in 2026 is the good solutions require smaller first year classes where we can create new assessment methods (oral presentations, digital research projects, etc). LLMs break the assignments that worked OK with big groups. But no one is investing in hiring professors.
Reposted by Jen Mapes
Current* conditions near Marblehead, OH:
January 4, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Current* conditions near Marblehead, OH:
Appreciate this story from Signal Akron because, unlike some social media stories/complaints about "SAVE THE..." it gets at the challenges of saving this carousel (including $2M for a structure to house it) but also some examples of success stories from other cities. signalakron.org/carousel-fro...
Carousel from Chapel Hill Mall remains in storage in Akron - Signal Akron
City officials don't know when the hand-carved and hand-painted carousel will be on display again, since it needs a structure to house it.
signalakron.org
January 1, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Appreciate this story from Signal Akron because, unlike some social media stories/complaints about "SAVE THE..." it gets at the challenges of saving this carousel (including $2M for a structure to house it) but also some examples of success stories from other cities. signalakron.org/carousel-fro...