In an attempt to curb it's traffic congestion woes, the city of San Francisco is turning to technology to help solve the problem. Six thousand of the cities 24,000 metered parking spaces are being equipped for a pilot project with devices called “bump,” that together will form a wireless sensor network. Drivers will be alerted to empty parking places by displays on street signs, or by looking at maps on their smartphones. “It will have a cascade of positive effects on transportation and the economy and environment,” said Donald Shoup, a professor of urban planning at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The broader picture is what we’re building is an operating system for the city that allows you to talk to or control all the inanimate objects out there to reduce the cost and improve quality of city services,” said Tod Dykstra, chief executive of Streetline, the company that San Francisco has contracted to supply the wireless sensor technology. No doubt that if it works there will be a significant improvement in traffic reduction, it's nice to see big cities taking a proactive approach. NY Times story here.
