Dig with peace of mind
Networks of hidden, buried utility lines can turn projects that involve any level of excavation into nightmares. Hitting one of those lines can prove not only costly, but also hazardous for both workers and members of the public. For this … More from our cover sponsor →
Cities examine recycling practices as China tightens ban on plastic waste
The world is getting smaller every day, which means one singular decision made abroad has the power to affect municipalities domestically and disrupt their day-to-day waste management operations. Look no further than China’s January 2018 decision to implement an import … Continue reading →
Cautious optimism high among cities
Being a midterm year, the news channels have been dominated by numerous mudslinging political ads — at least, that’s been the case on my local stations in northern Indiana. No matter who was elected Nov. 6 — I write this … Continue reading →
Mayors around the country review 2018, look forward to next year
We reached out to mayors and city managers across the U.S. to see how they fared in 2018 and asked them to peek into their crystal balls to see what challenges they expect to tackle in 2019 as well as … Continue reading →
Commitment to mutual benefits turns infrastructure projects from eyesores into assets
By JAY KEELING | POWER Engineers Incorporated Imagine what is becoming a common situation: a municipal utility needs to build an electrical substation in the middle of an urban neighborhood. Substations have a reputation for being unsightly, certainly nothing anyone … Continue reading →
Breaking the pothole cycle
2018 was the year of the pothole. It seems like every news station locally and nationally had extensive coverage on what they dubbed the “pothole pandemic.” A crumbling infrastructure in combination with dwindling municipal budgets and an extensive freeze thaw cycle has created the perfect storm for potholes and lots of them. Public works departments, county road commissions and state departments of transportation are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to pothole patching. Adverse weather conditions, lack of resources, asphalt plant closures and outdated methods are all factors directly contributing to the ever-challenging fight against potholes.
Continue reading →Saluting the Doughboys, gone but not forgotten
Since 1954, the United States of America has celebrated Veterans Day on Nov. 11 to commemorate the men and women who served their country in a military capacity. On this day, veterans are to be treated with the utmost respect. … Continue reading →
Quality of life is Kirkland’s economic development strategy
Kirkland, Wash., is a Pacific Northwest gem that really has it all. A suburb of east Seattle in King County, Kirkland is a community of 88,630 that is consistently ranked as one of the most livable communities in the country. … Continue reading →
Phoenix addresses skills gap with apprenticeship program
Hands-on learning, one-on-one interaction, classroom studies and camaraderie are a few of the keys to an impactful career experience, as demonstrated by the inaugural year of the Phoenix Public Works Department’s Solid Waste Equipment Operators Apprenticeship Program. In recent years, … Continue reading →
Trail networking for health and fun
Leave it to a Cameron County, Texas, physician/city commissioner to come up with a trail network that not only benefits the health of her city, Brownsville, but also its surrounding communities — Los Fresnos, San Benito, Rancho Viejo, Laguna Vista, … Continue reading →
DOT’s connected vehicle pilots look to safer roadways
From a windy interstate highway out West to more crowded urban centers in the East, the United States Department of Transportation is putting connected vehicles through their paces with its Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program. During the course of the … Continue reading →
Cities spruce up their gateways
If you’ve ever had to sell your home, you probably know all the little tricks to close the sale: make a batch of chocolate chip cookies a few hours before the buyers come so the aroma will fill the house; … Continue reading →
Sioux Falls, S.D., looks to tech companies for best practices
Sioux Falls, S.D., recently introduced a department of innovation and technology. And if you ask the mayor, this move is a nod to the direction cities of its size or larger are going or should be going. According to Mayor … Continue reading →
Eclectic mix makes Missoula great place to live
If you haven’t ever been to Missoula, Mont., you might want to pay the city and its 66,000 residents a visit. After all, it’s one of the American Planning Association’s five Great Neighborhoods of 2017. A decade ago, the APA … Continue reading →
Microgrids harness resilient, local energy
Thanks to Hurricane Florence, the coastal areas in the Carolinas and surrounding states spent a significant amount of time underwater and without modern resources such as heat, gas and electricity. This includes fairly populated cities such as Wilmington, N.C., where … Continue reading →
Eureka, Calif.
Eureka, Calif., population 27,177, is the only municipality in the nation to adopt the state’s seal as its own. Befitting, perhaps, because the city bears the name of California’s motto: “Eureka” — the Greek word meaning, “I found it.” The … Continue reading →
Purdue University creates unique pothole detection system
Any municipality that experiences harsh winters has at least one common enemy — potholes. Purdue University is working with West Lafayette to help identify this problem. “Potholes are a very significant issue in many municipalities, particularly in West Lafayette Ind., … Continue reading →
Ark Encounter Williamstown, Ky.
Atop one of the scenic rolling hills of Williamstown, Ky., population 3,931, rests a boat — a really big boat. Hailed as the world’s largest timber-frame building, the life-size replica of Noah’s ark towers seven stories above the ground and … Continue reading →
Vision meeting the science to back it up
Oftentimes, I am reminded of one of Arthur C. Clarke’s three laws: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” This is especially true, at least, for the general populace who might not have the most cutting-edge understanding of technology … Continue reading →
