Questions that energize us.

ConnectGO is an initiative to develop a unified multimodal transportation strategy for the region with both short-term and long-term projects, policies, and programs.

Metro Smart Cities is focused on testing out new types of transportation and technology projects to learn what works best in our local context. Lessons learned through our pilot projects will inform longer term strategies implemented through ConnectGO and other initiatives.

Each pilot project is funded in a different way. Some are funded with grant money, some are funded with private donations, some are funded from a partnership with another organization. Most are funded from a combination of all three, which goes to show the power of Public Private Partnerships (otherwise known as P3s).

The transportation and mobility focus is unique to Metro Smart Cities. But because cities can apply the Smart City principles in ways that make the most sense to their individual communities, we’ve chosen to hone in on transportation and mobility here.

We’ve chosen to narrow our focus to transportation because it was far and away the issue with the most pressing needs in our community. However, we may shift to broaden our reach in the future to include other Smart City ideas later on.  

Metro Smart Cities constructed this protected bikeway as a pilot project on Harney Street to inform whether this kind of infrastructure would be supported on a larger scale. Data from the pilot shows increased ridership along the route, which led to the planning and design for a permanent bikeway (Market-to-Midtown 2.0).

The exact timing of the Harney portion of the Streetcar construction has not been determined at this time. Once a timeline is established, the bikeway will be removed for the eastbound streetcar lane. This page will be updated once more information is available.

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