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There’s been tremendous energy behind the movement to change the way that local governments use technology to better connect with residents. Civic hackers, Code for America Fellows, concerned residents, and offices such as ours, the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics in Boston, are working together to create a more collaborative environment in which these various players can develop new kinds of solutions to urban challenges. In many cities, you can now find out via text message when your bus is coming, taking uncertainty out of your commute. With StreetBump, your phone can report rough stretches of road to the City automatically as you drive over them. Data policies have made available an unprecedented volume of information on safety, health and other pressing urban issues. We often talk about strengthening the relationshipbetween citizen and government; these innovations are pointing in that direction and, hopefully, building trust between the public and their local governments.
