The Latest
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Adeline Kon/Smart Cities Dive, data from Getty
Reassessing the smart cities movement
Smart Cities Dive asked 25 of the largest U.S. cities how they define a "smart city" and how it's evolved, the challenges they've faced in rolling out equitable policies and technologies, and their outlook for what's next.
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Courtesy of Lime
Bird, Lime lead micromobility expansion after pandemic lull
Following Bird going public and Lime raising $523 million, one analyst said the industry may see its greatest growth by expanding existing operations, whereas “second-tier cities” might lack the ridership to support larger investments.
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Adeline Kon/Smart Cities Dive
Deep DiveFlying taxis, hyperloops and driverless cars: Is it too early to start planning for future mobility?
Miami, Orlando and Pittsburgh are planning for air mobility and other novel modes of transport decades ahead. Critics say focusing on flashy, futuristic technologies distracts from simpler solutions for today.
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Nic Antaya via Getty Images
Buyer interest in EVs grows as automakers introduce more appealing models
Electric vehicles are in the spotlight this week following Biden's visit to a Detroit factory and the debut of new models at the L.A. Auto Show. But concerns about cost, charging and consumer acceptance remain.
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Permission granted by Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Traffic is Boring: Tracking Elon Musk's tunneling proposals
Some projects for The Boring Co. have gotten off — or rather under — the ground, as others peter out. Here's where the ambitious plans stand today.
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Adeline Kon/Smart Cities Dive
Deep DiveThe future of smart cities: Leaders forecast more digitally just governance
Over the next five years, smart cities will emphasize digital justice, community trust and data-led decisions, city leaders say. But roadblocks — like funding and a public sector aversion to risk — could stand in the way.
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Drew Angerer/Getty Images via Getty Images
81% of local government officials have faced harassment, abuse: NLC report
Local officials have been on the receiving end of death threats, vandalized homes and outrage in public meetings, the National League of Cities report finds, with the trend accelerating during the pandemic.
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DianeBentleyRaymond via Getty Images
Initiative will rethink San Francisco downtown for 'post-COVID' work patterns
How should a commercial downtown evolve if the masses of 9-to-5 workers don't return to pre-pandemic commuting? One San Francisco group has launched a project to address that question.
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Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
Amtrak's $117B Northeast Corridor revamp expected to benefit local cities
The 15-year upgrade of the Washington, D.C.-New York-Boston route will increase capacity and travel times, while also benefiting localities with new stations and transit-oriented development.
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David Dee Delgado/Getty Images via Getty Images
Deep DiveFlooding risk complicates cities' push to legalize basement apartments
In the age of extreme weather, amid the deaths of 11 New Yorkers living in basement units following heavy rainfall from remnants of Hurricane Ida, cities aim to balance safety with affordable housing accessibility.
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Photo illustration by Danielle McLean/Smart Cities Dive; photograph by amriphoto via Getty Images
NYC electric bike fires on pace to double in 2021
E-bike fires were linked to 72 injuries and three deaths through October in New York City. From London to Austin, Texas, city safety officials have noted lithium-ion battery fire risks with the increasingly popular micromobility devices.
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Adeline Kon/Smart Cities Dive
Deep DiveSmart city evolution: How cities have stepped back from a 'tech arms race'
Following the 'first wave' of the smart cities movement, local leaders describe how they have largely shifted from a tech-first to a resident-first approach.
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Stefan Zaklin / Stringer / via Getty Images via Getty Images
Transportation leaders react to passage of infrastructure bill with funds for transit, EVs, rail
Industry advocates and private sector players praised the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as a landmark first step while looking ahead to the Build Back Better Act.
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Chris McGrath via Getty Images
Singapore named smartest global city for third year: report
New York was ranked as the smartest North American city, according to the Institute for Management Development and the Singapore University for Technology and Design’s smart city index.
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Allison Dinner via Getty Images
How crime and policing strategies fared in 6 mayoral races
Public safety was a pivotal issue for voters deciding some tight and high-profile mayoral races, with a mix of reform-minded and pro-police candidates elected from Boston to Seattle.
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EV adoption poised to surge if Congress OKs $100B in purchase incentives, experts say
U.S. electric vehicle sales could finish 2021 at 5% of new purchases, according to industry observers. That's a milestone, but experts say adoption could really take off depending on federal government investments.
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fabphoto/Getty Images via Getty Images
Traffic deaths soar in first half of 2021 as experts debate best solutions
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is creating a strategy to combat traffic fatalities, which according to an agency report, rose 18% during the first half of 2021.
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Adeline Kon/Smart Cities Dive
Deep DiveAs Tesla, Ford and others invest billions in EVs, will the power system be ready?
The new White House zero emission vehicle target of 50% of new car sales by 2030 has a long way to go, a short time to get there, and big challenges ahead.
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Adeline Kon/Smart Cities Dive
Deep Dive15 city leaders define a 'smart city'
Smart Cities Dive asked major U.S. cities to weigh in on the past, present and future of their smart city efforts. In the first story of a multipart series, we highlight how city leaders define the term today.
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Permission granted by The Boston Planning and Development Agency's 3D Smart Model
Deep DiveAre 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.
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Courtesy of Greyhound Lines
Greyhound acquired by fast-growing FlixMobility, which aims to expand bus travel in the US
Greyhound and the intercity bus industry have struggled with declining ridership, exacerbated by the pandemic. Munich-based FlixMobility, operating in 36 countries, says it can expand the U.S. market for long-distance bus travel.
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Emanuele Cremaschi via Getty Images
Populus CEO: Cities should be able to leverage 'really messy data' for Vision Zero efforts
As part of the second phase of a U.S. Department of Transportation-backed initiative, mobility data firm Populus intends to help cities use data from micromobility fleet operators to craft road safety plans.
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Taylor McKnight/Smart Cities Dive
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.
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Permission granted by Second Chances Farm
A Delaware vertical farm sees itself as the future of urban agriculture. Can it succeed?
Second Chances Farm hires formerly incarcerated individuals in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. The founder sees opportunity for the business model and communities, but others question the financial viability.
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Permission granted by Greater Topeka Partnership
'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.
