How to Get Around in the Cities of the Future
How to Get Around in the Cities of the Future
MCCAIG/iStock
Imagine robot shuttles with Wi-Fi that whisk you to work, traffic lights that automatically turn green for buses, and self-driving cars and trucks on the road at every turn. Actually, with self-driving cars already on the roads in California and more in the works, it’s not at all hard to imagine. Can you believe that just a few years ago (it seems) hoverboards, virtual reality, and cloning were the stuff of Sci-Fi books and flicks?
And if you’re curious about just how you might be commuting or running errands in the cities of the future, turn your eyes on the onetime buggy capital of the world, Columbus, OH.
This week, the fast-growing Midwestern city won the White House’s Smart City Challenge to meld technology and transportation—and the prize of up to $50 million that comes with it.
Although it may not have quite the innovation cachet of Silicon Valley, Columbus nevertheless beat out nearly 80 other cities (including San Francisco) vying for the cash to ease its future residents’ trips around town.
One highlight of the city’s winning plan was the idea to offer three electric, self-driving shuttles that would connect riders from a bus center to a shopping and business area.
New apps will be rolled out to give riders real-time traffic and parking updates, and the city will encourage more ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft, according to The Verge. There will also be more electrical car charging stations, and passengers could use kiosks or a smartphone app to reload or pay for transit cards, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
In addition, the city will use sensors that will prioritize mass transit and emergency vehicles. That means that instead of ambulances weaving in and out of traffic at breakneck speeds, or buses having to make extra stops at red lights, the drivers would see only green lights.
In their bid, Columbus officials pointed to a particular disadvantaged neighborhood where no obstetrics or gynecology offices can be found. The infant mortality rate there is four times the national average, according to Wired. The city envisioned the journey of a low-income mother accessing her subsidized transit pass and being whisked to her doctor’s office, and then to pick up supplies for her baby.
The plan “will not only benefit the people of central Ohio, but potentially all midsized cities,” Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said in a statement.
That would make sense, as the city is routinely used as a test market where companies will try out new products and gadgets, according to Gizmodo. The tastes and preferences of Columbus residents are typical of average Americans everywhere.
Up to $40 million of the prize money is to come from the U.S. Department of Transportation, with the rest originating from philanthropist Paul G. Allen‘s Vulcan Inc. The city’s already raised an additional $90 million from private partners.
The other cities that made the finals were Austin, TX; Denver; Kansas City, MO; Pittsburgh; Portland, OR; and San Francisco.
“The bold initiatives [Columbus] proposed demonstrated that the future of transportation is not just about using technology to make our systems safer and more efficient,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “It’s about using these advanced tools to make life better for all people, especially those living in underserved communities.”
The post How to Get Around in the Cities of the Future appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice – realtor.com.
Source: Real Estate News and Advice – realtor.com » Real Estate News