Smart cities attempt to process data and information from different sources and sensors to help create a more efficient, convenient, and interactive environment for its community. For this blog, we are tasked with researching various smart city technology and discuss how they could transform Chico.
Before I was studying at Chico, I used to live around the silicon valley. There were definitely some quality of life features in a few of those cities that were useful to me and I miss that Chico doesn’t have.
In the Silicon Valley, our public transit infrastructure was pretty good compared to Chico (Though it seems like this might be improving a little bit lately). The VTA (Valley Transportation Authority) provides a live feed of bus and tram locations, allowing users to see precisely how far their ride is, or how much longer they have to wait. It also allowed users to see when a bus had to take a detour due to accidents. I also used to use an app called The Transit App, which displayed these locations but also allowed users to contribute crowd-sourced information about the transportation conditions. The app would often ask the condition of bus stops you’d wait at including whether the stop is clean or messy, whether the stop has proper benches, rain cover, and trash bins, and whether a stop feels safe. It would also ask about rider’s experience as they ride the bus including how clean the bus is, how safe it feels, how crowded it is, even what might be the cause for delays when that happens.
When I first moved to Chico about a year ago, I don’t think the B-Line (bus transportation in Chico and Butte) had these similar qualities. I remember waiting at a spot where my maps would say that the bus is coming in a few minutes, check that I’ve not moved from my location, then just increase the time without feedback or reason for delay. Though about a month or so ago, I realized the Transit App started showing live locations of busses, so Chico may be improving, albeit slowly.
Another feature I missed in the silicon valley was just how responsive navigation apps would be to display hazards and event’s that would impact navigation. Planned construction would be indicated in Google and Apple Maps, and the maps would reroute to avoid blocked routes or indicate bus stops affected by construction. However, in Chico, our map data doesn’t get updated when an area is under construction so navigation might recommend going through construction zones and closed roads. It also hasn’t been updated on completed construction, such as Esplanade road, where a new bi-directional bike lane was constructed, but doesn’t appear on navigation apps.
An argument could be made whether it is worth it or not for Chico to have these extra “smart city” benefits in the transit and transportation area. Chico often isn’t a busy place, and is small enough that citizens can bike almost anywhere. As such, the public transportation does not need to be on the same level as San Jose. Yet at the same time, the quality of life benefits do exist. Being able to have live updates of planned construction work, being able to track bus location and condition, having up to date navigation routes. These are all very convenient benefits with very little, if any, downsides.