California spent $1.3B in cap-and-trade funds on climate, equity projects in 2022

The California Climate Investments funding addressed affordable housing, transportation, energy costs, extreme heat, fire, access to clean drinking water and more, a California Air Resources Board official said.

By Kalena Thomhave • May 2, 2023

Mobility could be transformed by 2035, with US car sales dropping 30%: report

As cities and consumers move toward new mobility options, “the mobility ecosystem will most likely undergo a transformation not seen since the early days of the automobile,” a McKinsey report says.

By Michael Brady • May 2, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive

From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.

By Smart Cities Dive staff

Grubhub will offer monthly e-bike credits to 500 NYC delivery workers

Grubhub and e-bike rental platform JOCO say their joint bike rental credit program could improve fire safety in the Big Apple, where 11 people have died in e-bike battery-related fires in 16 months.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • May 2, 2023

Flying taxis are coming. Cities will need dozens of vertiports.

By 2030, just one eVTOL operator could operate nearly seven times as many flights per day as the nation’s second-largest airline, estimates McKinsey and Co.

By Dan Zukowski • May 1, 2023

Without vehicle or viable public transit, 1 in 5 miss needed healthcare: report

Adults with a disability, Black adults, people with low incomes and those on public insurance were more likely to report going without needed healthcare because of transportation issues, the Urban Institute found.

By Shannon Muchmore • May 1, 2023

Women, people of color, renters underrepresented on land-use boards: report

Homeownership and other requirements could create barriers to participation that “function as inexplicit racial filters,” an Urban Institute report found.

By Gaby Galvin • April 28, 2023

Delivery robot expansion hampered by ‘regulatory nightmare’

While no states outright ban delivery bots, tech developers have decided to take a cautious approach to expansion rather than flood the market with robots and risk backlash.

By Max Garland • April 28, 2023

Uber, Lyft more responsive to ride demand than taxis are during emergencies: study

“In light of our findings, service providers and city planners should reevaluate and improve their mobility platform, particularly under emergencies, disasters and hazards,” one researcher said.

By Michael Brady • April 28, 2023

Asphalt art grants of $25K available from Bloomberg Philanthropies

“It’s amazing what a few cans of paint — and a forward-looking community — can achieve,” Bloomberg Philanthropies founder and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement.

By Michael Brady • April 27, 2023

NYC subway stations to get more elevators, ramps after MTA legal settlement

“Only about a quarter of stations are usable by people with disabilities affecting their mobility,” according to Disability Rights Advocates, which sued the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on behalf of people with disabilities.

By Michael Brady • April 26, 2023

New FTA requirements coming for transit agency safety plans

The 2021 infrastructure law directed the Federal Transit Administration to strengthen rail inspection practices, reduce assaults on transit vehicle operators and improve safety training.

By Dan Zukowski • April 26, 2023

$25B for fare-free transit? Federal lawmakers take third shot at passing legislation

The proposed legislation would create competitive grants to help transit providers establish zero-fare programs, improve bus service and pay for the increased costs of higher ridership.

By Dan Zukowski • April 25, 2023

Elon Musk’s company town plans worry some locals, urban planners

The plans for Snailbrook, near Boring Co. and future SpaceX manufacturing facilities in central Texas, raise questions about local governance, environmental impacts and more.

By Adina Solomon • April 24, 2023

Chicago may lose its only intercity bus station, placing burden on disadvantaged travelers

Nearly a half-million passengers could be forced to wait at curbside stops for Greyhound and other intercity bus services, even in Chicago's harsh winters.

By Dan Zukowski • April 24, 2023

ARPA funds used to fill city budget gaps, Brookings analysis finds

Spending American Rescue Plan Act funds on “revenue replacement” allowed localities to free up money for long-term priorities, such as economic development, a Brookings Metro researcher said.

By Kalena Thomhave • April 21, 2023

Cybersecurity best practices for smart cities issued by CISA

Smart city technologies are at risk “of exploitation for espionage and for financial or political gain by malicious threat actors,” according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

By Michael Brady • April 21, 2023

High-speed rail projects vie for scant federal dollars

There’s not enough money available in the current round of grant funding to meet the needs of the California High-Speed Rail Authority and Brightline West. 

By Dan Zukowski • April 20, 2023

Safer bus transit corridors for pedestrians, cyclists require creative solutions on every corner: report

“Each intersection, station, and even midblock area requires a unique and sometimes creative approach to maximize safety for people walking and biking,” a Transportation Research Board report found.

By Michael Brady • April 20, 2023

New York City to test local delivery hubs

Microhubs will provide designated locations for trucks to unload items for last-mile delivery providers in a pilot program starting this summer. The city hopes they will curb traffic congestion and lower vehicle emissions. 

By Max Garland • April 19, 2023

Creating safe streets for all users takes community engagement, funding, transportation leaders say

As the U.S. Department of Transportation opens grant applications for more than $1 billion to improve local road safety, equity for vulnerable road users is the subject of a new webinar series.

By Dan Zukowski • April 19, 2023

5 major airport projects take off in the South

Funding from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law is fueling aviation construction around the country.

By Julie Strupp • April 19, 2023

US traffic deaths reach highest level since 2005: NHTSA

Nearly 43,000 people died in crashes on U.S. roadways in 2022, finds a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report. The total essentially matches 2021’s, which was the highest estimated fatality rate since 2005.

By Michael Brady • Updated April 21, 2023

$14B for city and state transit awarded in FTA formula grants

The Federal Transit Administration funds can go toward improving public transportation, upgrading stations and tracks, converting bus fleets to zero-emission vehicles and services for older adults and those with disabilities.

By Dan Zukowski • April 17, 2023

With recent crash, road safety again thrust into the spotlight

A Maryland collision that killed six construction workers nabbed national headlines and was a reminder that job sites are at the mercy of speeding drivers.

By Jen Miller • April 17, 2023

Are your operations EV-ready? Share your expertise and insight in landmark industry research survey by April 28

Electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure are poised to transform the parking, transportation and mobility industry. IPMI released an EV readiness survey to capture critical benchmarks and data.

By Rachel Yoka, CAPP, LEED AP BD+C • April 17, 2023