The more things change, the more they remain the same. When this magazine launched in 1896, horses powered garbage trucks and street sweepers. In the not-too-distant future, snowplows could be programmed to go around every mailbox and adjust blade level for above-grade manholes on every route in your city (including cul-de-sacs). Upload your latest GIS-based pavement-assessment data into the truck's controls and - wah lah! No operator required. Engineering consultants and contractors are increasingly adopting such technologies, and passing along the benefits to their government clients. But even as advancements lower labor costs and help you better target limited improvement funds, your department's job remains the same: build and maintain the networks that ensure the well-being of your city's residents and the economic vitality of its businesses. The internet, smartphone, and sensors facilitate this round-the-clock work, but they can't pick up debris after a tornado, sandbag a flood barrier, sit in on a council meeting for you.
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