Urban Planning

Buffalo, N.Y., is reversing a decadeslong trend of population decline by positioning itself as a “climate refuge city” in the face of climate change and a pattern of extreme weather events across the country.

The proposed Mid-Continent Clean Hydrogen Hub (MCH2) – a partnership between Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri – would be competing with other regional proposals for $7 billion available to establish six to 10 green hydrogen hubs.

The city of Colorado Springs is installing 26 sensors in the downtown corridor as part of a program to collect foot and vehicle traffic data. The sensors detect and categorize moving objects but do not collect personally identifiable information.

Muscatine, Iowa, will soon be the site of the first 3D-printed home in the state. The project is part of a community-led initiative to build four affordable and sustainable houses.

The troves of data collected by smart city devices can be put to use developing a digital twin of a city or neighborhood for better understanding new developments or other changes to the area.

Not since the adoption of the steel frame has there been a development with as much potential to transform the way buildings are conceived and constructed.

Local purchase incentives are increasingly available for e-bikes as their popularity spreads nationwide. Meanwhile, proposed federal legislation would open up assistance to would-be e-bike riders.

A mode shift toward more sustainable transportation like micromobility and transit will take more than an app. It will require a reimagining of cities and how transportation infrastructure is prioritized.

New surveys from AAA and the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety point to lukewarm consumer confidence in autonomous vehicles, while new research from the Urbanism Next Center suggest AVs could reduce the need for parking.

Mayor Ben Walsh’s administration has proposed using federal stimulus money to build a city-owned wireless network offering 100-megabit broadband service to some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.

A new proposal put forward by the state’s Department of Transportation takes aim at reducing pollution by promoting use of electric vehicles and encouraging transit and non-motorized ways of getting around.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is working with cities to use visualizations to make urban heat island data more accessible. For Washington, D.C., this work led to a virtual reality experience.

High-speed rail projects have proved to be very costly, but experts argue that these projects will serve an essential role in the evolution of the U.S. transportation system as it moves beyond cars and planes.

Arlington County, Va., has announced a partnership with parking technology maker eleven-x for a pilot project to bring sensor technology to some 4,500 public parking spaces. The pilot lays the foundation for other enhancements.

City officials have approved the installation of two charging stations at a cost of $44,272. The money comes from rates customers pay at parking meters, the garage and the borough's parking lease program.

Iowa City-based Alquist 3D is hoping to address the housing shortage facing Johnson County by creating affordable, sustainable and innovative homes using 3D printing technology. Construction is expected to start this summer.

Drones are playing an integral part in keeping birds away from dangerous power lines by placing robotic bird diverters on the lines. Some 1,500 new bird diverters have been launched to protect Atlantic City Electric infrastructure.

The county’s public utility district began mapping out a strategy for a future that relies heavily on electric vehicles. The planning session follows on the heels of the Washington Clean Fuels Standard law, which took effect this year.