An Emerging Planner’s Perspective on the
Future of Planning
in Florida
Jarrell Smith
By Jarrell Smith
Urban and regional planning is regarded as a multi-faceted field with specializations including, but not limited to, housing and community development, hazard mitigation, environmental planning, urban design, economic development, historic preservation, and land use and transportation planning. Although there are numerous specializations, the core of the planning process involves meeting the needs of today while considering future impacts and needs.
As planners, having an awareness of mega trends, new technologies, and changing political powers prepare us for our role in leading initiatives that improve individuals’ livelihoods. More specifically, the incorporation of the smart mobility concept is poised to have a notable impact on the planning field in Florida. What is smart mobility? The idea of smart mobility involves connecting users to multiple modes of transportation while ensuring quality service to users and ultimately enhancing economic productivity. Key components of smart mobility include real-time information systems; predictive maintenance; intelligent parking management; intelligent traffic management; automated toll collection; integrated ticketing system; smart surveillance; connected vehicles; and mobility as a service (MaaS). Notably, all of the aforementioned items rely on some degree of artificial intelligence. Together, these items create a system of computing devices that collect and share data over networks without requiring human-to-human or human-tocomputer interaction, also known as the internet of things (IoT). Imagine the time that can be saved from sitting in traffic congestion. Smart mobility will also empower an aging U.S. population to access essential services and continue participation in recreational activities. According to the U. S. Census Bureau’s 2020 population estimates, more than 55 million Americans are age 65 or continued on page 5
4 Fall 2022 / Florida Planning