Civic Tech

In a first, the California Department of Transportation is using two remote-controlled excavators to clear a landslide that closed a portion of Highway 1 in 2024. The equipment enables work in challenging areas.

Well over half of the electricity that powers activities at the Michigan city comes from renewable energy sources. The city has also made progress toward electrifying its vehicle fleet, including electric refuse trucks.

The ride-share service and its mobile application, which are funded by a $2.1 million state grant, expanded in March 2024. Powered by transit software firm Via, the service has around 15 drivers.

The city piloted a tool with artificial intelligence to gather more than 1 million responses from residents in just 33 days. Their feedback will help shape the direction of a 25-year strategic vision project.

The travel hub has deployed 10 of the devices for 90 days in its McNamara terminal to assist passengers with mobility issues. The wheelchairs carry passengers to the gate, then return to base automatically.

County supervisors have directed officials to study what updates should be enacted to deal with artificial intelligence as it takes further hold in everyday life. Leaders will develop a framework for how AI should be employed.

State Police have spent more than $40 million during the last two years to buy 2,000 body cameras, software, and expanded-view cameras for 1,400 patrol vehicles. All personnel are now equipped, weeks ahead of time.

More than 400 students who participated in the Congressional App Challenge demonstrated their award-winning work this week at the U.S. Capitol. The apps they designed combined technical prowess and personal experience.

The city of around 25,000 will deploy 16 cameras to be used in open cases or other specific circumstances, such as finding suspects or missing children. A grant will fund about two-thirds of the devices.

New fleet management technology for optimizing the use of electric vehicles crunches numerous variables related to battery performance, route, topography and temperature to get the most out of zero emissions.

The report, which includes information on cybersecurity, is an expanded version of a self-assessment encouraged by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Trucks are scheduled to go fully driverless in April.

In separate endeavors with the technology company AidKit, Boulder County and the city of Boulder are simplifying how they deliver financial relief to residents, child-care providers and nonprofits.

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute has awarded upwards of $10.4 million to upgrade online access across public and affordable housing in Salem, Gloucester and 24 other communities.

The U.S. General Services Administration’s Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, known as FedRAMP, will develop and implement a new approach to authorizations to make them easier and cheaper.

The 32-year-old MTA MetroCard will cease operations Dec. 31, but other fare cards are coming. NJ Transit will debut one in just a few months, and PATH is in the works on a card for its new TAPP system.

The Pennsylvania city has met several major milestones in the past year in its journey to improve city services with technology. In the year ahead, officials will continue modernizing systems and processes.

Yuba City and Marysville would participate with Yuba and Sutter counties in joining an integrated public safety information system. The endeavor is contingent on the former county securing a $2.6 million federal grant.

The pilot with a tech company, underway until mid-April, adds artificial intelligence to several existing security cameras in the city. The software will have a human verify a weapon has been seen before notification.