(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser; Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) Director Archana Vemulapalli; Golden Triangle BID Executive Director Leona Agouridis; and National Capital Planning Commission Executive Director Marcel Acosta highlighted the completion of Phase I and kicked off Phase II of the #SmarterDC Pennsylvania Avenue 2040 (PA 2040) project. District government, Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID), and the National Capital Planning Commission implemented practical Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to improve maintenance, transportation management, and visitors’ experience on “America’s Main Street.”
“The Pennsylvania Avenue 2040 project is a stepping stone towards a more sustainable and smarter future for the city,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “I am excited to continue to use smart city technology across the District to tackle city challenges and to positively impact residents, businesses, and visitors.”
Throughout the nearly 90-acre PA 2040 footprint, 71 LED streetlights were installed and 40 new outdoor public Wi-Fi hotspots were added giving the area nearly 100 percent coverage. The PA 2040 project will collect and use real-time data to create applications that can significantly improve District operations with reduced costs. Phase II technology will expand services to include smart parking, public safety applications, environmental sensing, water management, and interactive kiosks. The 71 LED streetlights are expected to cost 50 percent less annually than existing lighting. The PA 2040 project spans Pennsylvania Avenue west of the White House to New Hampshire Avenue - between the 1700 & 1900 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue & from G Street to I Street, NW.
“Public Wi-Fi is a great amenity for the thousands of tourists, residents, and workers who come to this area every day,” said Golden Triangle BID Executive Director Leona Agouridis. “We’re also excited to test the sensors to help identify ways that the data they collect can improve some of the BID’s most basic operations on the street, like trash removal. Most importantly, the installation of public Wi-Fi and environmental sensors are an important first step in transforming Pennsylvania Avenue west of the White House into a smart, sustainable street of the future.”
Chuck Robbins, President and CEO of CISCO Systems, Inc., joined Mayor Bowser to name DC a CISCO ‘Lighthouse City,’ the first city in the United States to hold this distinction. Other cities included are Barcelona, Hamburg, Germany, and Copenhagen. The CISCO Lighthouse City program was created to classify CISCO customers with a commitment and progressive agenda toward Smart City technology.
“This is a next generation partnership we are launching today with Mayor Bowser to make a measurable difference on a city’s operational efficiency, increase economic development and enhance citizen engagement through a variety of urban services,” said CISCO CEO Chuck Robbins.
In September, OCTO and CISCO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the goal to increase economic development, create new jobs and provide innovative education across public and private sectors.
Archana Vemulapalli, Chief Technology Officer, said “This strategic partnership is a natural extension of the hard work District agencies and businesses are already doing, and provides them with access to new ideas and support from a leader in the field.”
For more information on OCTO’s #SmarterDC efforts including the PA 2040 project, click HERE or watch our information video HERE.