St. Louis To Join Federal Smart Cities Initiative

ST. LOUIS, MO — St. Louis will join the Smart Cities Initiative, a program begun under President Barack Obama that invests federal money to help cities tackle challenges like traffic congestion and crime, as well as improve city services, foster economic growth, and plan to mitigate the effects of climate change. St. Louis will focus on improving public safety, streamlining the delivery of city services, and expanding internet access city-wide.

Mayor Lyda Krewson highlighted the importance of internet access for all St. Louisans, especially in poor neighborhoods.

“In today’s digital world, it is imperative that all of our citizens have access to affordable, reliable internet access and the necessary training to effectively utilize the web,” she said in a statement. “It is my belief that digital access should be a public good, one that is not conditional on a person’s income, race or zip code.”

Other cities around the country have struggled to bridge the so-called "digital divide" that keeps millions of Americans offline, preventing adults from applying for jobs and kids from finishing their homework.

The city is to hire a Chief Technology Officer and establish a Smart City Commission to facilitate the initiative. The details of the search have not been released. The city has said it will not entertain any proposals from potential vendors until the Chief Technology officer is hired.

“Every St. Louisan deserves the best from their government and should expect their leaders to look for new ways to tackle our most pressing issues,” Krewson said. “The Smart Cities Initiative gives us the opportunity to modernize our government and rethink how we deliver city services through increased data sharing and collaboration among city agencies and community leaders. Developing this platform increases our government’s ability to improve access to city services for every resident.”

Photo by J. Ryne Danielson