The list of infrastructure assets in cities today is longer than ever. New technology has found its way onto street corners and storefronts, with monitored cameras, 5G telecommunications, public Wi-Fi, and gunshot detectors. Smart sensors for everything from streetlight outages to autonomous vehicles can’t be far behind. Bike lanes, bike repair stations, and transit islands have transformed roads, alongside speed bumps, pedestrian signs, and kiosks. More electric vehicle chargers, or magnetic inductive charging in roadbeds, will pop up. Strategies to address climate change has brought the city onto residential property to install seawalls and basement protection devices, and green stormwater infrastructure is starting to blanket the landscape. A city government must understand the collective value it adds and assure that it is sited and operating in a safe and orderly manner.

• Publication date: August 2022
• Author: Janet Anderson