More than 750 traffic signals in Montgomery County, Maryland, were crippled last week after the failure of a piece of electrical equipment that was 37 years old. The old technology and the repercussions are being called a warning to other cities.
"The coincidence of twin mini-disasters for commuters last week might foreshadow scores of problems as cash-strapped governments stagger into the 21st century burdened by creaking 20th-century technology. Unlike businesses, which have had to keep pace with technological advances to stay competitive, government and public agencies facing budget woes more readily can postpone spending to replace old but still functional equipment.
'This is a wake-up to all municipalities across the nation and the area and underscores the dangers -- the ticking time bombs -- buried in our aging traffic engineering infrastructure,' said John B. Townsend II, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic. 'We are playing catch-up, because lawmakers have been unwilling to fund upgrades.'"
The aging infrastructure that caused the problem was already a known risk, but the local government had few resources to replace it with newer technologies.
FULL STORY: Montgomery, Metro outages suggest more lapses coming
Cities and States Large Borrowing Causes Concern
As the economic downturn has caused many states and municipalities to borrow large amounts of money, some worry there may be a glut of them going bankrupt.
Is the Urban Form Sustainable?
One author offers a framework for resilience that rethinks common assumptions about the inevitability of cities as we know them.
Minnesota Dam Failure Highlights Nationwide Danger
The Rapidan Dam isn’t the only one at risk of imminent failure.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.
EV Chargers Now Outnumber Gas Pumps by Nearly 50% in California
Fast chargers still lag behind amidst rapid growth.
Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks
HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.
Has Anyone at USDOT Read Donald Shoup?
USDOT employees, who are required to go back to the office, will receive free parking at the agency’s D.C. offices — flying in the face of a growing research body that calls for pricing parking at its real value.
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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