Is your city minimobility-ready? To accommodate smaller vehicles, many cities will require sweeping changes

Cities must transition from favoring full-sized cars and SUVs to prioritizing slower, smaller passenger vehicles that can meet more travelers’ needs in less space, transportation experts say.

By Austyn Gaffney • March 20, 2023

On climate change, this group of mayors thinks globally and acts locally

Climate Mayors Executive Director Kate Wright discusses how the organization is helping mayors lead on climate policy and implement provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act and 2021 infrastructure law.

By Michael Brady • March 17, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Smart Cities Dive 2023 Outlook

In the year ahead, city leaders will continue to face economic headwinds while tackling the housing shortage, rethinking land use, dealing with changes in travel behavior and implementing federal spending programs to electrify and decarbonize cars, buses and buildings.

By Smart Cities Dive staff

Curbside EV charging startup wins urban infrastructure award at SXSW

Brooklyn-based itselectric plans to offer installation, management and maintenance of the chargers free to cities and property owners.

By Dan Zukowski • March 17, 2023

$700 million for community EV charging now available from federal grant program

Cities, counties, other local governments and tribes can apply for grants for public charging in urban and rural communities.

By Dan Zukowski • March 14, 2023

Skanska predicts construction costs will rise above inflation in many US cities

The new report examined construction costs in 21 U.S. markets, including Dallas; New York City; Orlando, Florida; Phoenix; San Francisco; and Seattle.

By Zachary Phillips • March 14, 2023

Biden proposed budget boosts funding for clean energy, permitting, efficiency programs

The budget released Thursday includes $11.9 billion for the Department of Energy climate and clean energy research, development, demonstration and deployment, a 20% hike over the FY 23 enacted amount.

By Ethan Howland • March 10, 2023

EPA unveils cybersecurity oversight for public drinking water systems

“Cyberattacks that are targeting water systems pose a real and significant threat to our security,” said Radhika Fox, assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Water, during a teleconference with reporters.

By David Jones • March 6, 2023

$250M for curbing climate pollution, advancing environmental justice available from US EPA

Each of the 67 most-populated U.S. metropolitan areas is eligible for $1 million in planning grants, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will follow with $4.6 billion to help cities and states implement their plans later this year.

By Michael Brady • March 1, 2023

PACE programs are a popular strategy for local decarbonization financing: report

Property-assessed clean energy programs are more common than taxes and other strategies as a source of dedicated climate funds for local governments, a Brookings Institution report found.

By Michael Brady • Feb. 27, 2023

First NYC commercial waste zone implementation could begin in 2024, DSNY says

Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has faced criticism over how long it has taken the New York City Department of Sanitation to advance the waste zones program.

By Maria Rachal • Feb. 24, 2023

Subway sandwich chain to install EV charging stations at select stores

The smaller stations will have fast EV chargers that provide a 120-mile charge within 17 minutes for about $20.

By Julie Littman • Feb. 23, 2023

ARPA fund spending shows regional differences in local government priorities, researchers say

Large cities and counties have spent the largest share of state and local fiscal recovery funds from the American Rescue Plan Act on government operations. But their spending on other priorities diverges from there, researchers found.

By Michael Brady • Feb. 23, 2023

EV charging infrastructure is “inadequate and plagued with non-functioning stations”: J.D. Power

Roughly one in five public charging attempts fails, with 72% of them attributed to equipment issues. “Just adding stations isn’t the answer ... we need to make sure those stations are reliable,” one J.D. Power executive said.

By Dan Zukowski • Feb. 22, 2023

Chicago adopts citywide equity and resiliency plan

The We Will Chicago plan aims to address eight issue areas, including housing and economic development, in its 40 goals and 150 objectives. 

By Michael Brady • Feb. 21, 2023

Tesla to make some of its EV chargers public as White House announces rules for national charging network

The rules will require federally funded chargers to be built in the United States, beginning with final assembly and some manufacturing processes.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 15, 2023

Smart city conferences to attend in 2023

From electric vehicles and micromobility to housing and climate resiliency, here are some notable events for smart city leaders this year.

By Michael Brady • Feb. 13, 2023

Insulating existing buildings with low-carbon and carbon-storing materials can reduce emissions: report

“Deep energy retrofits” that use certain insulation systems can turn existing buildings into storehouses of carbon instead of emitters of greenhouse gases, according to an RMI report.

By Michael Brady • Feb. 9, 2023

House bill aims to create lending institution for infrastructure projects

The Federal Infrastructure Bank would work with state and local partners on private infrastructure investments via loans and loan guarantees, helping finance work such as transportation projects and broadband connectivity.

By Jennifer Goodman • Feb. 8, 2023

FBI thwarts neo-Nazi plot to attack Baltimore Gas & Electric substations, ‘completely destroy’ city

Two suspects were charged in federal court in Maryland with plotting to attack utility substations with firearms. Experts say the plan could have resulted in widespread power outages.

By Robert Walton • Feb. 7, 2023

Minnesota may soon require 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040

The bill also calls for utilities to generate at least 55% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2035. Waste incinerators in environmental justice areas would not count as clean energy.

By Megan Quinn • Feb. 7, 2023

ChargePoint, Stem strike EV charging and battery storage deal for highway corridor fast-charging networks

Combining charging, battery storage and AI-driven energy management will save money for EV site operators, the companies say.

By Stephen Singer • Feb. 1, 2023

10 US cities ready for a ‘smart city future’

Tomorrow’s smart cities will have robust technology and green infrastructure, along with strong tech job markets, according to a report from real estate technology company ProptechOS.

By Michael Brady • Feb. 1, 2023

How green building policy could evolve in 2023

After reducing energy use in buildings, cutting embodied carbon is next on the green policy agenda for state and local leaders, potentially prompting a shift from concrete and steel to materials like timber or straw, experts say.

By Adina Solomon • Jan. 26, 2023

Tesla sets sales record as safety concerns mount

California banned automakers from advertising self-driving capabilities that still require a driver in control, while NHTSA is investigating Tesla’s Autopilot system.

By Dan Zukowski • Jan. 26, 2023

Mayors partner with Hertz on rental EVs and public charging

Shell also recently announced it’s buying charging network operator Volta in a $169 million deal, and electric charging equipment supplier Tritium is getting its largest-ever order from BP.

By Dan Zukowski • Jan. 20, 2023