Original Article by B. Schlecter, Stantec, December 17, 2020
Look behind the promise of automated vehicles (AVs) and you’ll find an issue that, while less glamorous, has begun drawing attention: how AVs could affect municipal revenues. Alongside AVs’ projected benefits—improved safety, broader accessibility, better ways to move people and goods—some observers worry that this revolutionary technology could take a big bite out of municipal revenues. All signs suggest that AVs will arrive gradually, with specialized, limited applications coming first. That gives cities the opportunity to stop, assess, and plan. AVs might well change the balance of revenue sources, but planning shouldn’t overlook look the opportunities they bring—rethinking the public realm and new revenue from new development. Savvy city leaders will take the coming years to position their cities for big changes ahead.
