These days everything seems to be connected. You can connect your home appliances to your WiFi network and even remotely start your car from the touch of your mobile phone. Technology is used in almost every element of our lives. Why not apply this technology to our streets as well? Local agencies are beginning to adopt Complete Streets policies that provide alternative modes of transportation for all users. The next evolution in transportation is to integrate technology with Complete Streets principles to create a transportation system that is accessible and reliable. It’s time to start thinking of Complete Streets as Smart Streets.

What if there were ways to use this technology in streets to simplify our lives by saving time and money? I don’t know about you, but there never seems to be enough time in the day and even an extra 10-minutes would be welcomed. Many cities are starting to integrate technology into their streets and overall transportation systems to create Smart Streets. Smart Street technology enhances the travel experience by being more efficient, convenient and cost effective. If your agency is interested in exploring the use of Smart Streets, here are some of the most common options:

These centers of activity bring together multiple transportation options in one area to assist travelers with making efficient and informed travel choices. Mobility hubs are usually located near transit, rail, subway, bicycle and car sharing stations. Cell phone apps such as Transit App: Metro, Bus, Bike can be used to get real-time route information and determine vehicle availability.

Some mobility hubs incorporate bicycle and car sharing stations, including some that are also electric vehicle charging hubs. Travelers are able to upload apps to their mobile devices such as Zipcar and Uber to locate nearby stations and get real-time vehicle availability.

Smart sensors integrated in street elements enable development of trip-planning, way-finding, and place-based social networking applications. Examples include using digital media interactive displays, Quick Response (QR) codes, and links to social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Interactive displays for trip-planning and advertisement are becoming more prevalent around cities.

For many Americans, finding a place to park can be a grueling task as you endlessly circle the block wasting valuable time. If technology could provide a way to know where to find parking beforehand, wouldn’t you use it? The technology already exists. Apps such as Parker by Streetline provide drivers with real-time parking information for City, University, garage and surface parking lots. Smart Parking also makes paying cost effective and convenient by providing pay by phone parking meters and variable prices based upon demand.

Our communities want multimodal streets that are easily accessible and reliable. With the assistance of technology, Smart Streets can provide travelers with real-time travel information to best direct their route of travel and to find a balance between cost, convenience and your carbon footprint. It’s time to embrace this technology and upgrade our transportation system to the 21st Century. With all the available technology today, imagine what the next 10-years will bring!

Do you have any experience with these Smart Street technologies, or do you have any other ideas for making our streets smarter? Tell me what you think - I would love to hear from you.

This blog post was informed by:

The Boston Complete Streets Guidelines, 2013

Photo credits in order of use:

Kārlis Dambrāns. Apple iPhone 6.

http://www.canstockphoto.com

http://www.canstockphoto.com

MsSaraKelly. Memento Park social media. 

Jason Tester Guerrilla Futures. an hour of magical parking.