Analysis: Breaking down the two-faction framing of Ann Arbor’s city council politics

Not many Ann Arbor residents pay attention to the workings of local government. For many of those who do, a kind of popular wisdom frames their thinking: Ann Arbor's 11-member city council is made up of two opposing factions. A look at some voting data shows that the popular two-faction framing is too simplistic. Background … Continue reading Analysis: Breaking down the two-faction framing of Ann Arbor’s city council politics →

Maps: Prepping for 2018 Election Analysis

I'm putting together a tool kit for analyzing a narrow slice of the 2018 general election results. I want to see look at two kinds of county-by-county patterns. First, what's the relative strength of Republican and Democratic candidates in statewide races in 2018? Second, how does the strength of statewide candidates in 2018 stack up … Continue reading Maps: Prepping for 2018 Election Analysis →

Transit Data: 2018 is on track for record rail ridership through Ann Arbor station

Based on data from the Michigan Department of Transportation, 113,783 passengers got on and off Amtrak trains at the Ann Arbor station in the first three quarters of this year. That's about 5,000 more riders than last year's nine-month total of 108,327. In 2017 the full-year ridership total was 150,176—which was the highest number recorded over the last roughly … Continue reading Transit Data: 2018 is on track for record rail ridership through Ann Arbor station →

Guadalupe River Flooding: Most water in the last two decades, or ever? (No.)

Update: Oct. 6, 2018 1:18 p.m. The National Weather Service just tweeted a caution that the Guadalupe gauge in Kerrville has been malfunctioning: NWS Austin/San Antonio @NWSSanAntonio The gauge located at the Guadalupe River at Kerrville has been malfunctioning and did NOT reach record flood level. USGS is currently addressing the issue. The latest reliable reading … Continue reading Guadalupe River Flooding: Most water in the last two decades, or ever? (No.) →

Transit Data: Ann Arbor, MI

Based on numbers from the National Transit Database, ridership on Ann Arbor Area Transportation fixed route buses was down 1.8 percent in 2015 compared to the year before. Ridership recovered in 2016 to match roughly the 2014 total, and showed another increase (3.7 percent) in 2017. The general increase over the last three and a … Continue reading Transit Data: Ann Arbor, MI →

Transit Data: Bloomington, IN

Based on data from the National Transit Database, ridership on the public bus system in Bloomington, Indiana, has trended slightly downward in the three years since 2014. After peaking at 3.51 million riders in 2014, the annual figure has slipped to 3.49 million (2015), 3.45 million (2016), and 3.30 million (2017). Ridership grew by 70 … Continue reading Transit Data: Bloomington, IN →

Hoosier deer crashes

When I move to another part of the country, I like to gather as much information about the place as I can before I arrive there. (Who doesn't?) Where are the good bars? Where are the laundromats? Where is the grocery store? Where is the barbershop? Where can you get biscuits and gravy for breakfast? … Continue reading Hoosier deer crashes →