What’s eating away at your vehicle
De-icing chemicals: A growing threat Motor vehicles face a constant battle against the elements, with one of the most insidious threats being corrosion. In colder climates where snow and ice are prevalent, it’s not uncommon to see traditional road salt … More from our cover sponsor →
Connecticut city finds creative parking solutions
The city of Norwalk, located in southwest Connecticut on the northern shore of the Long Island Sound, has initiated creative solutions to parking problems, including retraining the way residents and visitors park on one street and adding green infrastructure to … Continue reading →
Santa Clarita, Calif., launches award-winning initiatives
Involvement is an important aspect to any thriving city, yet it can be easier said than done. Whether it is piquing residents’ interest in local happenings or preparing a new generation of employees for the city’s workforce, getting people involved … Continue reading →
Evolution Edges focuses on ‘innovation with an edge’ by eliminating full cover blades
In the 1990s, the introduction of a carbide insert blade for snowplow cutting edges was recognized as a major technological advancement for the wear parts industry. Carbide demonstrated the wear longevity to be seven times greater than a traditional hardened … Continue reading →
MRL Equipment pushes needle forward on road striping solutions
Throughout the pavement marking industry, thermoplastic road markings are widely used and known to be one of the most durable of all road markings. With the growing nationwide demand in infrastructure, the need for thermoplastic striping continues to grow exponentially. … Continue reading →
Poudre River project strikes the right balance
The city of Fort Collins, Colo., and its community members had a dream: the revitalization of the Cache la Poudre — pronounced pooh-der — River corridor. The corridor was a historically degraded area, which had once included a landfill and … Continue reading →
Owensboro, Ky., avoids rise in unemployment during pandemic
In addition to impacting the health of millions of Americans, the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the economy, causing millions to lose their jobs. At its peak, the United States’ unemployment rate increased by 10.3 percentage points in April, hitting a … Continue reading →
Iowa City looks to the future in public works design
As technology rapidly advances and environmental requirements become stricter, cities must constantly work to keep up. With this in mind, public works departments throughout the country are designing and building new facilities that not only boast the latest technology but … Continue reading →
Mesa working on multiple project developments to transform downtown
When looking to transform a city or town, the goal is to attract people and businesses. One of the best ways to go about that is to start with the downtown. As the 35th largest city in the nation, Mesa, … Continue reading →
Martinsville inmates save city thousands through labor program
When Sheriff Steve Draper of Martinsville, Va., took office in 1994, the department of public works was in charge of the city farm. When the farm came under the purview of the sheriff’s office, Draper decided he wanted to change … Continue reading →
All-hands on deck for fire mitigation efforts in Durango, Colorado
In 2018, southwest Colorado experienced one of the largest wildfires in the state’s history. The wildfire started in June and continued through July, burning across an estimated 54,000 acres. Prompted by this wildfire, multiple entities near the Durango area … Continue reading →
Digital signatures yield safety and efficiencies
Beware the Ides of March. Shakespeare’s warning in his play “Julius Caesar” proved true in March 2020 for an entire nation when the acceleration of coronavirus infections forced the United States to shut down its economy in the face of … Continue reading →
Advanced metering operations streamline water operations
Advances in automation have dominated all sectors in the 21st century, and government is no exception. The city of Newport News, Va., is making an investment in an advanced metering infrastructure project to streamline operations, increasing efficiencies that will benefit … Continue reading →
Cities search for workforce housing solutions
Offering adequate, affordable workforce housing can be a challenge. As cities continue to grow and add jobs, many find their current housing situations are lacking, with many people commuting in from other locations to work. Many cities are tackling this … Continue reading →
Getting support at the ballot box
There are times when municipalities need to take issues directly to the voters, but do certain issues receive more support than others? The Municipal wanted to take a look at ballot measures and referendums to see if there are trends. … Continue reading →
Cumberland’s scenic beauty draws visitors in
Cumberland, Md., rests in the center of Maryland’s panhandle, a short distance, at least as the crow flies, from the bordering states of Pennsylvania to the north and West Virginia to the south. Unlike the more well-known region of … Continue reading →
M Top 10: Top 10 hardest-working states in America
Americans are known to be hard workers, and the World Economic Forum has found American workers put in an average of almost 1,780 hours per year as of 2019. For comparison, that figure is approximately 390 hours per year more … Continue reading →
Cities adopt COOPs to navigate choppy waters
In January 2020, few people had heard of the disease that started to make the news channels. But, with the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, government agencies and businesses were forced to begin thinking about what they would do if the … Continue reading →
Overcoming racial unrest: A primer
On June 2, 2020, the citizenry of Ferguson, Mo., did something powerful. In a citywide gesture of solidarity — an exercise in community empowerment — a hopeful venture to put the city on the path of reconciliation, healing and inclusion — the electorate selected Ella … Continue reading →