From the blog
Currently displaying: Greg Bunce
Utah SGID Statewide Roads Data Layer Updates (1 min)
UGRC recently completed updates to the SGID Roads data layer. Please visit our Roads and Highway System data page where you will find information about the Roads data model, as well as a web service l
Mapping Utah's Housing Affordability (4 min)
Utahns are feeling the squeeze, and there's data to back it up. Housing affordability has become the top concern for residents, according to a recent 2024 Utah Foundation survey.That’s not surprising,
Utah SGID Statewide Roads Data Layer Updates (2 min)
UGRC recently completed updates to the SGID Roads feature class. Please visit our Roads and Highway System data page where you will find information about the Roads data model, as well as direct downl
Trailheads, a Collaborative Approach (4 min)
At UGRC, we serve up datasets from a vast array of sources. Some, like municipal boundaries, are created in-house. Others are pulled from a single steward, like the land ownership data maintained by S
Is Your Home Close Enough to the Nearest Fire Station? (3 min)
Living close to a fire station can be noisy, but on the other hand, not living close enough can result in delayed, or even worse, inadequate fire service. The National Fire Protection Association (NFP
Weaving the Fabric - Building Authoritative Geospatial Datasets through Collaboration, Relationships, and Data Standards (6 min)
Many Hands Make Light WorkIt’s been said that it took about 100,000 humans to build the Pyramids of Giza and a similar number to build the Panama Canal. Prior to the internet, large-scale collaboratio
2020 Census Redistricting Data in Easy to Use GIS Formats (4 min)
Good news, 2020 census redistricting data is now available for Utah in easy to use GIS formats!In mid-August, the Census Bureau published the PL 94-171 Redistricting Data Summary Files from the 2020 C
GIS as a Tool for Addressing Intergenerational Poverty (3 min)
Poverty and PlaceWe now know that poverty and place are connected. Numerous studies point to evidence showing that place matters a great deal to an individual’s economic outlook. This is particularly
Taking a Closer Look at Election Results - Using GIS to Paint the Political Landscape (4 min)
You've probably heard the saying, there are many ways to peel an orange. Similarly, you've likely noticed, there are many ways to display election results. In this post, we'll take a closer look at ho
GIS - Thinking Beyond the Map (8 min)
If you’re reading this post, you’re already aware that geospatial technology (a.k.a. GIS) has become an essential part of our daily lives. Its capabilities extend from small-scale phone applications a
Cognitive Maps - The Science Behind our Brain’s Internal Mapping and Navigation System (13 min)
I bet you remember where you were on the morning of September 11th, 2001 when you heard the news. I’d venture to say that you also remember the city, state, and room that you were standing in. But why
Digital Maps - How Chance, Timing, and Heritage Shaped Modern GIS (24 min)
When you dig into the history of mapping, it's remarkable how certain things come about. If you zoom in far enough, you discover seemingly coincidental occurrences that ended up playing pivotal roles
The SGID - Then and Now (8 min)
Access to high-quality GIS data is a privilege, and the fact that it's open and free is nothing short of amazing. Yes, I’m talking about Utah's SGID. From a local perspective, we’re all accustomed to
GIS Wisdom - Exploring the Reverse Approach (7 min)
Those of us working in GIS know that it's really powerful and that it's utilized in just about every industry. If you aren’t yet a true believer, you should check out this impressive list of uses.GIS
The Western Grid, Explained (10 min)
Have you ever wondered why the patterns of development in the Western United States are so orthogonal (i.e., "right-angled")?Fig 1: 1891 Salt Lake City Bird's Eye View[^1]Pan around a map and you'll s
Leveraging Git and GitHub to Manage the Lifecycle of Custom ArcGIS Tools (13 min)
As GIS developers, we are often expected to provide the same custom tool for multiple versions of ArcGIS Desktop (or ArcGIS Pro). For example, some users are on Desktop 10.4, while others are on 10.6
Rethinking Geocoders: Adding Local Vernacular into the Build Process (5 min)
UGRC has been working on a project to enhance our approach to geocoding. This grew from the basic idea that humans often view addressing differently than a GIS system. For instance, as GIS professiona
Mapping Utah’s Wireless Emergency Call Routing System (4 min)
UGRC recently assisted the Utah Communications Authority (UCA) on a project to map and analyze wireless 911 call delivery across Utah. The goal of the project was to provide local 911 communication ce
