PCiRoads uses custom equipment for Minneapolis stormwater project
Minneapolis features a busy and lively downtown area that’s home to nearly 57,000 residents along with 216,000 employees each week, per mplsdowntown.com. The city has consistently topped more than $1 billion in new construction permits over the past 11 years … More from our cover sponsor →
Atlanta Department of Watershed’s fleet sharing and automation project saves taxpayer dollars, improves efficiency and greens the fleet
The city of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management automated the management of its vehicle fleet to reduce cost, improve utilization, enhance service to employees and to further green its fleet. Fleet vehicles are a critical tool used by the Watershed … Continue reading →
Cambridge updates buildings with net-zero in mind
Cambridge, Mass., has been hard at work in its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality. It is just one of the city’s future-forward goals and is an integral part of a net-zero action plan begun in 2015. While certainly not an … Continue reading →
Ann Arbor and Ford partner to realize the future
When Disneyland first opened in 1955, one of its popular theme parks was Tomorrowland, a nod to Walt Disney’s futurist views. That was then, this is now: a new concept of tomorrow is here today. Just like the magic of … Continue reading →
Goldsboro, N.C., earns unique chance to host Mid-Atlantic Regional Quidditch Championship for 2019, 2020
The game of Quidditch got its beginnings as a fictional sport in the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling. In October 2005, a freshman at Middlebury College in Vermont decided to make this fictional sport a reality and laid the … Continue reading →
Nebraska rebounds following historic flooding
Nebraska, Missouri, South Dakota, Kansas and Iowa have dealt with massive flooding throughout spring 2019, with some areas experiencing prolonged flooding along the Missouri River well into December. Starting mid-March, the 2019 Midwestern U.S. floods marked the wettest January-to-May period … Continue reading →
Police departments work to protect children through school bus safety
Hit the Brakes In Sterling Heights, Mich., Police Sgt. Aaron Susalla is taking a different approach toward spreading school bus safety awareness. “From our Facebook page, we were getting a lot of messages about how people were disregarding … Continue reading →
AFADs rolled out in construction zones
Robo flaggers are becoming more popular with departments of transportation and cities as they offer greater safety for workers. Admittedly, not every state has implemented them as of yet, but there is certainly something to be learned from those who … Continue reading →
Mobility is a community endeavor in Sugar Land, Texas
It makes intuitive sense. Municipal plans that engage stakeholders are better received than those that have no community input. The city of Sugar Land, Texas’, mobility master plan and related task force are examples of that principle in action. … Continue reading →
Tracy McKee is the chief innovation officer for Charleston, South Carolina
When it comes to her professional life, Tracy McKee said there is one question she is asked more than any other: What exactly is a chief innovation officer? “I get that all the time,” she said in a recent … Continue reading →
Cities getting smart with traffic signals and streetlights
Grand Rapids in process Grand Rapids, Mich., is in the process of switching to smart streetlights with a two-phase $20 million bond project. The first phase was an $8.8 million bond that will take care of infrastructure. Bruce … Continue reading →
Poverty Point Pioneer, Louisiana
The place is a mystery, a classroom, a cultural museum and an ancient encyclopedia written more than three millennia ago that is slowly unfolding its pages to the painstaking efforts of archaeologists. Poverty Point State Historical Site, a U.S. National … Continue reading →
The roads of tomorrow
The roads of tomorrow will not be like the roads of today. Sure, they might continue to share the same materials — or maybe not, I’m still crossing my fingers for solar panel roads that don’t ice over — but … Continue reading →
Blackburn Mfg. Co. – The original and still the best
Blackburn Mfg. Co. was started in 1953 by E.A. “Bud” Blackburn in the basement of a small family homestead near Royal, Neb. Bud’s uncle, Ray Blackburn, who was a surveyor, asked him if he could attach a piece of cloth … Continue reading →
Rose District sparks rejuvenation in downtown Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was a city with a plan, and with good timing and funding, its goals have been realized with the Rose District, a streetscape project that has reshaped its downtown. “The Rose District streetscape is a direct … Continue reading →
Monroe, Michigan returns to the river
Return of wildlife Cochran said with the return of health to the river itself, wildlife is making a comeback to the region. This includes fish such as pike, large- and smallmouth bass, muskie and bluegill as well as bald … Continue reading →
Fight or bite: Cities combat mosquito swarms after storms
Although they are not included in the 10 plagues of Egypt, post-storm mosquito infestations can pose problems of biblical proportions for communities that must combat them. While climate change has brought about an increased frequency of adverse weather events, which … Continue reading →
Seattle Response Team keeps traffic flowing by clearing incidents
In order to help with the flow of traffic and limit delays following an accident or incident, Seattle, Washington, publicly launched a response team in October 2018 designed to improve the handling of these issues. Following an incident on … Continue reading →
Weather sensors streamline Niles, Illinois, winter operations
Old Man Winter can be unpredictable, but that doesn’t mean municipalities have to concede to uncertainty. Instead, a few cities and towns have taken matters into their own hands to identify and respond to bad weather conditions before roads become … Continue reading →
