Mapping the St. Louis Digital Divide
ST. LOUIS, MO. November 29, 2021
The St. Louis technology scene continues to heat up as iNeighborhoods and blossom, two of the region’s tech firms, are proceeding with a GIS based digital broadband mapping of the city of St. Louis. This is an exciting development that will help the city to both capitalize on the $ 1.2 trillion Federal “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act”, which includes $65 billion for broadband infrastructure, and historic levels of support for digital inclusion.
A digital mapping is a graphical inventory of the digital assets and services available to an area, such as the extent and quality of Internet wired and wireless connectivity. This information is essential for pinpointing underserved areas as well as deciding what advanced services can be rolled out. We must target the digital divide before we can eradicate it, making for a more inclusive city that benefits everyone. David Sandel CEO of iNeighborhoods adds, “Recently the pandemic has laid bare the social, economic and infrastructure inequity of our region. By working together in this way, mapping the entire city can pull us together around an issue common to all: internet access. Now is the time to move forward”.
Furthermore, Neighborhoods and blossom’s capabilities are unique. By making use of GIS technology and community specific engagement processes, our teams can conduct mappings with higher granularity than traditional methods in challenged areas, divides, Promise Zones, districts, new public spaces, or neighborhoods. Digital mapping identifies areas in which broadband access and other improvements are most acutely needed and assures grant makers that their monies will be most effectively invested.
Participation in this project is simple and will be accessible via iNeighborhoods’ website once available. Residents, business owners, and other community members need only enter basic information to run a mapping test and be a part of the mapping process.
Digital mappings and GIS technologies are part of the creative energy by which many cities are creating a new economy and an inclusive urban world. The iNeighborhoods and blossom teams look to begin a wave of positive change in St. Louis by bringing these services to the area.
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