Tech Tools Have Revolutionary Potential for Cities

Governing's Stephen Goldsmith looks at the trend of smart phone applications related to city governance and civic improvement. He sees huge potential in these early stages of a trend that's likely to experience exponential growth.

1 minute read

March 25, 2010, 7:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"The number of these apps is increasing, as is the areas they cover. SeeClickFix.com, when combined with a city Twitter account, forms a similar two-way communication. In Washington, D.C., and in San Francisco, an iPhone app or a text message can tell users where the nearest bus is and what time it is likely to arrive at your stop. Routesy, which texts users, combines the raw data available from the city's bus and Metro system, and feeds it into an algorithm that estimates when the bus or train will arrive at your stop. The bottom line is less time spent standing in the rain waiting for a bus.

As is often the case, productivity revolutions start with a technology. But the real value doesn't arrive for quite some time, when people adapt their processes to take full advantage of the new technologies. That's why the current changes in service delivery are so exciting - this is just the tip of the iceberg."

He compares this current trend to the introduction of a 311 telephone system in Baltimore in 1996, and how that system started out with simple goals but eventually expanded into a complex and innovative way for the public to interact with government.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 in Governing

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight