Meet the Smart Cities Summit Speakers, Part 4: Mike Trimble, Director, City of Austin Corridor Program Office

Smart Cities Summit is the go-to event for the government and technology decision-makers creating America’s future smart cities.

In the lead-up to the October 31- November 1 conference in Atlanta, American City and County has the exclusive opportunity to discuss leading projects that will be highlighted by key speakers. This is the opportunity to preview what they will be championing at the conference this year.

Through use cases, partnership case studies and panels, Smart Cities Summit will address how new innovations are transforming infrastructure, public private partnerships, procurement, transportation and many other verticals within the smart cities space. This year there will be a greater focus on bringing connectivity to the heart of smart cities, an area where local authorities can save costs of future pilot projects long term and add real value for citizens.

The fourth speaker in this 4-part series is Mike Trimble, Director, City of Austin Corridor Program Office.

Tell us about your role.

I lead the City of Austin’s Corridor Program Office, an integrated program management team that is responsible for delivering over $500M in multi-modal transportation improvements along the city’s major roadway corridors that work to improve not just mobility and safety but also to support other key community outcomes like affordability, equity, and sustainability.

Can you explain a little further about the corridor programs being implemented in Austin?

Like many rapidly growing cities, one of Austin’s biggest challenges is traffic and the ability to move around the city. In 2016, Austin voters approved the largest single investment in improving Austin’s major roadways which was the impetus for creating the Corridor Program Office. The City Council and community expect us to deliver a set of improvements that improve mobility and support other community goals in an 8-year timeframe, which has led to innovative approaches to both our structure and delivery. With the continued rapid growth occurring in Austin and the region as a whole, we anticipate that the 2016 Bond is just the first of multiple large investments in multi-modal infrastructure for the community, with continued high expectations and focus on outcomes.

What has been the most important lesson you have taken from this project?

One of the key lessons I have learned thus far is how important partnerships are to accomplishing big goals. We are fortunate to have the support and cooperation of several key agencies in the region and we continue to build additional partnerships that will not only assist in meeting our program expectations but also in leveraging additional programs and funding, stretching taxpayer dollars that much further. 

What advice would you give to the cities just starting out on their smart city journey?

My best advice is to be open to what “smart” means for your community. Innovative technology solutions and the enhanced data and tools they provide are a means to an end, so it’s really important to understand the ends – what is it that you are trying to accomplish? What are your community’s priorities and expectations? What is the collective picture of success and how can smart tools, approaches, and technologies help you achieve that picture?

Why are conferences like Smart Cities Summit so important?

I can tell you as a city leader that we always want to learn about new ideas, concepts, and tools that other cities are using to address challenges and deliver upon community expectations. Smart Cities Summit is an excellent opportunity to do just that – learn about successful, innovative approaches used in other cities that could greatly benefit our communities back home.

• Whether you work in the public or private sector, Smart Cities Summit will help you find ways to positively utilize emerging technology and create the future of smart cities.
• American City & County’s exclusive20% off code is ACC20
• Use this link to go to the registration page and your discount will be automatically applied.

To read Part 1 of the Meet the Smart Cities Summit speakers, Jan Bradley, Director and Chief Information Technology Officer at the City of Calgary., click here.

To read Part 2 of the Meet the Smart Cities Summit speakers, Joshua Edmonds, Detroit’s Director of Digital Inclusion, click here

To read Part 3 of the Meet the Smart Cities Summit speakers, Natalia Quintero, Director at City of New York Transit Tech Lab, click here