As cities get more intelligent, they are becoming more livable and interconnected. “Smartness” entails more than simply incorporating digital interfaces into traditional infrastructure. A smart city increases operational efficiency, promotes sustainability, improves social services, and provides a better quality of citizen welfare. Let’s take a spin through the top 10 smart cities in the United States:
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Boulder, Colorado
Xcel Electricity’s expensive and disputed smart energy grid caused a controversy with Boulder several years ago. The company released a new plan called Our Energy Future, after having learned from its past mistakes. The reintroduced smart grid model aims at creating a new level of openness and transparency of consumer payments. Boulder wants to make sure that its investments in solar and hydroelectricity are used to boost the city’s economy.
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Louisville, Kentucky
Kentucky is famous not only for being the host of the Kentucky Derby, Louisville, but also for taking a leading role in smart technology. Its initiatives include sensors collecting information on noise pollution; a data driven application for people to minimize asthma risk; autonomous vehicles on the streets. Technology will positively influence the city’s economic, physical, and digital environment.
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The city of Pittsburgh has become a leader in the area of smart cities. With IBM Smarter Cities®, they created a strategy to reinvent the city’s infrastructure. This transportation improvement plan is aimed at making the streets more bike and pedestrian friendly. Pittsburgh implements new technologies such as shared mobility, automated vehicles, Internet of Things (IoT), LED streetlights and electric vehicle charging stations to make the city energy efficient, green and clean.
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San Francisco, California
The avant-garde city of San Francisco developed a strategic plan to cut emissions from vehicles through electrification and demand management. The city takes the necessary measures to develop walkable, bikeable communities, and green public transit. Moreover, San Francisco advances environmental justice in infrastructure planning.
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LaGrange, Georgia
The leaders of a small LaGrange community analyzed its strong and weak sides, and then used the city’s upside potential to mobilize a set of specific initiatives, while reducing downside risks. In the beginning of the two thousandth, LaGrange offered its residents free high-speed Internet access, as well as free installation. Despite its small size, LaGrange demonstrates impressive potential in implementing smart technologies that attract a critical mass of local citizens.
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Austin, Texas
Austin is one of the major fast-growing cities in the United States. The city council introduced a number of programs aimed at adopting innovative technology, in particular autonomous and connected vehicles, electronic services based on open data, and smart sensors. Austin has all resources to provide everyone with access to all necessities of life. Its hyper-growth over the past decade contributed to the economic vitality of the community.
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Fresno, California
Fresno is the heart of California. Its innovative ideas and investments in smart technology have significantly upgraded the city’s infrastructure and facilitated the economic growth and development that comes with that technology. One of the strategies is to implement a CitiStat model to easily transfer data and track it in real time. Fresno focuses on transportation improvement so that every person can experience the benefits of a more mobile, secure and sustainable city.
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Cedar Rapids, Iowa
The leaders of Cedar Rapids made critical steps in the world of smart cities by bringing state-of-the-art technology to the community and adopting innovative solutions to improve the quality of life of its citizens. Unfortunately, flood waters and devastating tornadoes significantly damaged the city many years ago. However, through joint efforts and synergy of state and local partners, the EPA and FEMA, they strengthened the foundation for further development and smart growth. Cedar Rapids is a community of forward-thinking people who implement cutting-edge technology to reach the highest quality standards.
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Columbus, Ohio
Columbus has shown how the use of contemporary technological advances and groundbreaking mobility tools can move the city forward: connected, electric and autonomous vehicles, as well as integrated data exchange. Their programs offered modern, clean, secure and reliable transportation options for people. Mobility innovation and digitalization served to advance prosperity in the Columbus community.
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New York City, New York
City officials are putting great efforts to reduce traffic congestion, improve infrastructure and traffic flow in the densely populated New York City by integrating smart vehicle technology. Moreover, with the help of smart sensors, the city can monitor the consumption of water, measure the quality of air, and detect the level of waste in trash bins. NYC and its investments in smart technology go a long way in achieving its objectives.
