Are digital twins the future of urban planning?

Digital 3D models can help city leaders plan for the future, but their value will depend on the data.

By Adina Solomon • Nov. 1, 2021

The pandemic's silver linings for smart cities

Smart Cities Connect participants from Zencity, Vaisala, Passport Labs, IDC, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and elsewhere weighed in on COVID-19's impacts, and also the biggest misconceptions about smart cities.

By Danielle McLean , Rachel H. Pollack • Oct. 27, 2021

'I get more smiles here': Topeka makes a bid for the remote worker

For many people, crowded and expensive areas like New York or the Bay Area have grown nearly unlivable. The Choose Topeka program has found success dangling up to $15,000 for remote workers to relocate to the Kansas city.

By Emilie Shumway • Oct. 25, 2021

Jaywalking reform efforts see mixed results across states, cities

Policymakers in California, Virginia, Philadelphia and Kansas City, Missouri, are among those who have considered how to promote pedestrian safety while reducing enforcement inequities.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 22, 2021

National Restaurant Association urges mayors to support expanded outdoor dining through winter

Outdoor dining makes up 20% or more of daily sales at 68% of full-service restaurants, but 61% of these operators can only use their outdoor spaces through October, according to the association. 

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 21, 2021

City strategies evolve on American Rescue Plan spending

Local governments are working through the historic influx of federal funds, including newly available competitive grants, while infrastructure bill dollars remain at bay.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 14, 2021

6 questions with Smart Columbus on lessons since program's conclusion

The program manager of the USDOT's Smart City Challenge winner reflects on the initiative's challenges, offers key advice for city leaders seeking to implement smart tech and maps out what's next for the city.

By Danielle McLean • Oct. 11, 2021

Regional consortiums create one of the largest US smart cities networks

The National Smart Coalitions Partnership includes more than 100 governments across seven regional consortiums, aiming to lower barriers for local leaders to implement solutions and share best practices.

By Cailin Crowe • Oct. 8, 2021

Rescue funds buoy economic outlooks, but cities eager for infrastructure dollars: NLC report

Many cities lost revenue in FY21, but certain economic and tax changes, plus infusions of direct federal relief, helped them weather the pandemic better than the Great Recession, according to National League of Cities researchers.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 7, 2021

Smart cities' impact on inequality, privacy, democracy are the focus of a new online program

The Smart Cities for City Officials class from Sweden's Malmö University is "the first online, open-access educational program on smart cities from a social sciences perspective," its co-organizer says.

By Danielle McLean • Oct. 1, 2021

New York City Council passes delivery worker protection laws

The legislation includes a requirement for restaurants to provide couriers access to their bathrooms and set minimum pay for workers, representing the broadest protections in the U.S.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 27, 2021

Coalition launches ballot initiative to end the tipped minimum wage in DC

One Fair Wage believes pandemic-induced labor pressure is increasing support to end the tip credit in the nation's capital, where such a proposal was overturned by the city council in 2018.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 24, 2021

New York City forges ahead with long-debated congestion pricing plan

Public meetings on the plan are set to begin after years of discussion. They come as cities like London have had success with similar schemes and Los Angeles and San Francisco examine the concept.

By Dan Zukowski • Sept. 17, 2021

In the race to distribute rent relief, Houston-Harris County has made major strides

As local governments hustle to distribute aid following the recently revoked federal eviction moratorium, the Texas rent relief program has been praised by the U.S. Treasury Department as one of the country's strongest.

By Cailin Crowe • Sept. 15, 2021

Building consensus for a smart city

The key to smart city success is thoughtful community engagement.

Sept. 13, 2021

Feds to require large employers mandate coronavirus vaccine

The requirements will impact some 80 million workers, in addition to many working for the government and federal contractors, the White House said.

By Ryan Golden • Updated Sept. 10, 2021

Are federal AV investigations a first step toward federal regulation? Not necessarily, experts say

Even with growing pressure on the federal government to increase autonomous vehicle oversight, industry watchers don't consider new NHTSA investigations into Tesla's Autopilot and similar technologies a sign of impending change. 

By Katie Pyzyk • Sept. 7, 2021

Los Angeles approves 100% clean energy by 2035, moving original target up by a decade

The LA100 plan would see the city replace its natural gas electricity generation with wind, solar and battery storage, while also improving energy efficiency and transmission.

By Jason Plautz • Sept. 2, 2021

Pittsburgh City Council approves unified fiber network for municipal buildings

The NetPGH initiative would lay the backbone that allows Pittsburgh to install connected infrastructure and launch smart cities projects.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 31, 2021

DC flexible housing subsidy shows promise for addressing homelessness, researchers say

Participants used 29% fewer homelessness services, and 88% of them remained in stable housing, in the program's first year, but more time and research will be key to determining the program's long-term effectiveness, said Urban Institute and DC government researchers.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 26, 2021

As heat island effects worsen due to climate change, cities try to adapt

Cities are adding cooling measures like trees and lighter pavement to reduce urban heat island effects as record temperatures sweep the nation.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 17, 2021

San Francisco to require proof of full vaccinations for indoor dining and entertainment

The city's mandate will begin Aug. 20 for customers and Oct. 14 for employees. 

By Julie Littman • Aug. 13, 2021

What's in the infrastructure bill for smart cities?

The Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation grant program would offer funds to governments for new tech demo projects pertaining to transportation, energy efficiency and connectivity.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 12, 2021

Hope renewed for Chicago-St. Louis high-speed rail

A new Illinois commission could accelerate development of high-speed rail in the state, as U.S. passenger rail is poised to receive a $66 billion injection from the bipartisan infrastructure deal.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 12, 2021

NYC Meatpacking District to adopt open streets permanently

As U.S. cities have struggled to maintain the open streets programs they implemented during the pandemic, the Manhattan neighborhood has embraced the concept with plans to close six blocks to vehicle traffic.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 11, 2021