Project Summary:
An improved transportation system has the potential to effectively lessen the impact of poverty. Conversely, lack of access to inexpensive transport leads to the active construction of poverty. In terms of transportation, West Philadelphia is a difficult place to live. Jobs are frequently far away, automobile and public transit costs are high, and the basic spatial organization of the city makes it difficult for poor people to effectively navigate the city around them. In my research I consider how transportation issues impact the lives of the poor and makes them effectively poorer. The research is based on a GIS analysis of residence, job sites, and the modes for journey-to-work. In addition I interviewed several residents of West Philadelphia region and collected narrative accounts of their transportation histories.