‘Smart cities’ tap technology as remedy for inequity

At first glance, Pittsburgh’s proposal is similarly traditional, with a new electric, autonomous bus route planned to run from downtown to the poor Hazelwood neighborhood. But the city also plans to work with the community college and workforce development board to train residents to help manufacture connected infrastructure sensors that would be placed across the city to ease transportation flow. “We spent a lot of time talking about the social return on our investment, and part of that is making sure all of the aspects of our system have an equity component,” said Alex Pazuchanics, a policy adviser to the mayor.