Smart Cities

The eighth annual Smart Cities Connect Conference & Expo opened with a panel discussion around digital equity and the need for all communities to expand access to broadband as they emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.

Chattanooga has been selected as one of two U.S. cities in a global initiative to use broadband and data to plan and utilize energy, transportation, health care and communications in more sustainable and equitable ways.

During a tech-focused talk with the National League of Cities Friday, President-elect Joe Biden promised to be supportive of urban leaders once in office, echoing a general friendliness toward local government thus far.

The growing laundry list of connected devices and vehicles continue to make the case for platforms that pull all of the data into one easily accessible system. Two projects are doing just that in Georgia and South Dakota.

US Ignite and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions have released the "Smart Cities Data Catalog Specification" to aid in smoother data-sharing efforts among the public sector, third parties and others.

Three Georgia cities and a county will participate in this year's Georgia Tech Smart Communities Challenge, which builds on collaborations to develop transportation and transit innovation projects.

Smart city leaders from Houston, New Orleans and Columbus, Ohio, discussed their vision for tomorrow's cities following widespread disruptions brought on by the pandemic, economic hardships and social unrest.

The smart cities movement has evolved from sensors on light poles aimed at improving traffic flow to connected platforms that are practical, efficient and equitable for government, businesses and residents.

Now that the initial hype around the smart cities movement has begun to fade, gov tech leaders must examine how to use those technologies to do the most good for citizens and stakeholders alike.

The Georgia cities participating include Columbus, Milton, Woodstock and Macon, which have all been selected for the year-long mentoring and funding smart cities program, spearheaded by Georgia Tech.

The winning communities, ranging from San Diego and Edmonton, Alberta, to Racine, Wis., were chosen from a pool of 200 projects and received top marks for impact, collaboration, inclusiveness and sustainability.

As one of five national winners, the city will have access to a suite of tools meant to help address pressing issues within the community. The city lists bridging the digital divide, better transit and smart intersections as top priorities.

Five winners will be selected during the Smart Cities Week conference April 15-17 in San Diego. Those cities will become part of the year-long Readiness Program to scale up smart city visions into reality.

Cameras, sensors, data and "censors" will abound.

Twenty-two cities have been selected to participate in the second Smart Cities Collaborative, organized by Transportation for America, with the focus on mobility.

As cities grow smarter and more connected, what implications does that have for cybersecurity?

Four cities and the state of Virginia were named as 2018 Smart Cities Readiness Challenge Grant winners.

The city joins eight other jurisdictions vying for five grants that will support better livability, workability and sustainability.