City of Racine - Smart City

Interested in what the City of Racine Smart City Team and Digital Divide Roundtable members accomplished during the month? Check out the latest newsletter below to learn more and don't forget to come back next month for new updates and exciting news!

The city of Racine has launched its Digital Literacy Training program! Visit our  Digital Literacy Training dashboard  for more information.

Use the links below to download our latest newsletter!

The goal of a Smart City is to use technology to improve citizens' lives and drive economic growth. Smart City technology includes internet-connected devices with real-time sensors, user-centered tools like app-based parking meters and interactive maps, and sustainable infrastructure such as energy-efficient buildings and electric buses or scooters. High-speed internet and access to connected devices ensure reliable communication, fosters innovation, creates jobs, and attracts businesses.

In 2019, Racine achieved one of five Smart City designations in the Smart Cities Readiness Challenge. The Smart Cities Council of North America awarded the city access to best practices, financing and other tools to make Racine more livable, equitable and sustainable through technology. Racine is the smallest city to win this award and was named the first "Smart City" in Wisconsin.

With the groundwork laid out, the City was prepared to begin its transformation immediately, but had to shift focus to community health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2023, with a team dedicated to the Racine Smart City Initiative, this transformation is a top priority with monthly meetings with the City of Racine Digital Divide Roundtable, community outreach events, the reveal of the Smart City logo, and more.

Creative thinking and problem solving have helped to mitigate the effects of years of deindustrialization. Smart City initiatives can continue to serve a vital role in a successful future for the City of Racine.

Providing more Wi-Fi hotspots and accessible digital resources, utilizing electric public transportation and adding new LEED construction are just a few of Racine's Smart City initiatives. Scroll to learn more!

Racine has implemented Smart City mobility initiatives using electric and autonomous technology. These advances are cutting back on the city's carbon footprint and fuel costs, while increasing transportation options throughout Racine.

In April 2022, Racine rolled out nine electric buses, becoming the largest electric bus fleet in Wisconsin! A $6.19 million grant from the Volkswagen Transit Capital Assistance Grant Program helped to purchase the buses and charging equipment. Just a few months later, Racine was awarded funds to add four more electric buses to the fleet. Nearly $3.8 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Low or No Emission Vehicle Program supported the cost of the additional buses.

The new electric buses provide riders with a quieter and environmentally friendly transit experience. For more detailed information about routes, schedules, and fares, visit  RYDE Racine's website .

The City of Racine offers a number of charging stations for drivers of electric vehicles. Located in common spaces like parking garages or in front of City Hall, these charging stations are available for use around the city. Take a look at the interactive map below to find the charging station nearest you!

Did you know? The Electric Vehicle Charging Station located at City Hall is solar-powered! This charging station represents the start of Wisconsin's participation in the  Lake Michigan Electric Vehicle Circuit Tour , an initiative in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin to make EV charging stations more prevalent for travelers visiting stops along Lake Michigan.

In April 2024, the City of Racine presented its most recent Smart City innovation, an online map that provides the latest road closure information to help residents plan routes that avoid construction delays.

The Road Closure Map is an online tool to show commuters, delivery drivers, and leisure travelers how to navigate road closures and disruptions. To access the Road Closure Map, visit  https://www.cityofracine.org/RoadConstruction/ .

The map identifies locations in the city where public road utility projects have closed streets completely, or closed traffic in one direction. It also shows the detours to get around those closures.

Key features of the Road Closure Map include:

• Real-Time Updates: Routine updates by the Engineering Department ensure users have access to the latest closure and detour information with added support from navigation services.
• Accessible anytime, anywhere: Whether on a smartphone or computer, the map is accessible to all users, making it a valuable tool for anyone who is out and about.

In 2021, Racine partnered with  Bird  to offer 150 electric scooters in Racine, increasing mobility options in the city while reducing its carbon output. Using the Bird app, Racine residents and visitors 18 years and older can enjoy rides around the city.

Between April 20th and July 31st, 2022, nearly ten thousand rides had been conducted with over two thousand unique riders! Average trip distance was just under two miles, with a total of 30,868 miles being travelled during that time period.

Racine is also home to another special electric vehicle – the Badger! The Badger is an autonomous test vehicle and the only one in Wisconsin! It is the result of collaboration between the City of Racine, the UW-Madison TOPS laboratory, Gateway Technical College, and Perrone Robotics.

The City of Racine recently created an interactive beach map to help residents safely visit Racine's beaches. This map highlights safety precautions to consider while swimming and enjoying the natural habitats. It also serves as an informational tool for beach parking, restrooms, swim areas, walking/biking paths and other areas of interest near the beaches.

Broadband accessibility is a priority of Racine's Smart City project. Access to the internet, devices and device education are all vital components of accessibility and this initiative.

Accessible high-speed internet is an important aspect of the Racine Smart City project because there are distinct areas that lack connectivity, affecting the community in many ways. Lack of connectivity prevents access to job opportunities and has been shown to reduce academic performance. Rural and urban areas are often most affected by lack of internet accessibility. In Racine, affordability is the main reason for the digital divide and the Smart Cities project is working to provide affordable, quality internet access throughout the city.

Racine's Smart City team spent a year researching what other cities are doing to close the digital divide, as well as looking at funding opportunities. Then they began to discuss ideas and started connecting with potential community partners. The first step in seeking partners was to ask schools to collaborate in providing better, more affordable internet and accessible devices for students and families. The next step was to connect with other Racine organizations that work with students, families, the elderly and those with disabilities.

Once some of these connections were made, the team began round table discussions to brainstorm solutions together. These discussions inform all parties on community opportunities to fulfill a variety of needs, including internet access, computer education and job assistance. The team is still forging relationships with partners and the Digital Divide Roundtable (DDR) meets monthly. The City of Racine will continue to partner with organizations that work directly with the community to fully understand its needs and work together to meet them.

The map below shows all the participating organizations in the Digital Divide Roundtable (DDR). Each of them have contributed to progress in bridging the digital divide. Click on individual organizations for contact information.

Learn more about the City of Racine's efforts towards digital inclusion by visiting our  Digital Inclusion Storymap .

The City of Racine is getting the word out about discounts available through the FCC's Lifeline program, as well as local Internet Service Provider (ISP) offers. The Smart City team is attending events in Racine to provide resources and answer questions about Lifeline and other affordable options.

Lifeline is an FCC program that helps make communication services more affordable for low-income consumers. It provides subscribers with a discount on qualifying monthly telephone service, broadband internet, or bundled voice-broadband packages from participating wireline or wireless providers. Lifeline provides up to a $9.25 monthly discount on service for eligible low-income subscribers, and up to $34.50 per month for eligible subscribers on Tribal lands.

Visit the  Lifeline Support Website  to learn more about Lifeline, including qualification requirements and how to get started with the application process.

The National Digital Inclusion Alliance - NDIA for short - is encouraging Internet Service Providers to offer low-cost plans and discounts to households that qualify. Visit the  Free & Low-Cost Internet Plans  webpage to see what options are currently available.

The Affordable Connectivity Program has officially lapsed, but several organizations are working to ensure its renewal. The City of Racine is working to keep digital connectivity within reach for all residents of Racine. Check back regularly for updates regarding affordable plans and alternate solutions.

Racine offers a variety of complimentary digital resources throughout the city, including multiple free Wi-Fi hotspots, computer access, technology courses and free hotspot and laptop rental.

Explore the interactive map below to find internet and device access near you!

Use the zoom functions on the bottom, right to navigate the map and click the icons for more details. (The pop-up includes information on multiple features, so you may need to click through them using the arrows at the top of the pop-up window.)

Need access to this map offline? Check out the graphic below for a printable version of this map, featuring hotspots hosted by the City of Racine. This PDF includes a map on the first page and a list of corresponding addresses on the second page.

GROW Racine is a long-term campaign organized by Mayor Mason's administration to invest in its residents and their success, and stands for "Growing Residents' Opportunities and Wealth." This can be achieved by accessing GROW Racine programs and initiatives.

There are five major initiatives that this campaign consists of:

• Helping Adult City Residents Earn Their High School Degree
• Start a Career in the Trades
• Become Financially Empowered
• Become a Homeowner
• Repair & Enhance Your Home

These initiatives allow residents of Racine to enroll in the High School Equivalency Degree (HSED) program, complete pre-apprenticeship training, receive free one-on-one financial counseling, receive aid in fixing up and reinvesting in their homes, and more!

For more information and access to additional resources, or to stay up to date on application deadlines, visit the  GROW Racine website. 

On September 9, 2022, the Racine Public Library unveiled the newest addition to the Library GO! Fleet: the Techmobile. This vehicle will bring Wi-Fi internet access, tech demos, and Spanish and English materials to locations throughout Racine.

The mobile library fleet, which includes a bookmobile and two book bikes in addition to the Techmobile, operates on a summer and year-round schedule. It can often be found at events throughout the city, and can be requested as a pop-up event by individuals. Check out the  Library GO! website  for detailed information!

The City of Racine and the Smart Cities project seek to provide quality, environmentally responsible services to residents, while being good stewards of tax-payer dollars. Below, you will find a list of funding provided for Smart City initiatives.

• American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
• State of Wisconsin
• $6.19 million grant from the Volkswagen Transit Capital Assistance Grant Program
• $3.8 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Low or No Emission Vehicle Program

The City of Racine, like many cities worldwide, faces the challenge of digital inequity and exclusion. It is facing this challenge head on by making sure everyone can afford, access, and use the internet. Although the city has companies that offer fast internet to everyone, not all residents can pay for these services. Data shows that between January and April 2024, over 11,000 city residents used the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to help cover these costs. Up to 18% of households in some areas of the city had no internet access at all.

The government has funding opportunities to help Racine face these challenges. In order to get this funding, the City needs to show that we are serious about making sure those who need them will get affordable internet and computers, and training on how to use them.

To do this, we are creating the Digital Equity Plan (DEP), similar to the one Wisconsin already has. It will determine the needs of the city and show how our supporting organizations can help us address them. Community leaders that are part of the Digital Divide Roundtable are coming together to create the Digital Inclusion Steering Committee in order to help write the DEP. With this plan, the City can apply for grants that will allow Digital Inclusion programs to run for at least four years.

The City of Racine hired NDIA (National Digital Inclusion Alliance) to provide a Digital Inclusion 101 Webinar for all of our DDR Members, Community Organizations, and anyone else who may be interested in learning more about Digital Equity. The webinar seeks to introduce key concepts of digital inclusion, share effective strategies to build digital equity initiatives, and build awareness and support for the City of Racine’s digital equity planning processes.

Sustainability is the third component of Racine's Smart City project. This includes adding sustainable buildings, utilizing renewable energy sources, protecting the environment, creating safe and user-friendly city services and seeking a better quality of life for Racine residents.

Racine is building with smart initiatives in mind!  LEED building standards , energy-saving designs and convenient technology are all part of the latest construction projects in Racine.

The use of 13 electric buses means that 40% of Racine's bus fleet is now zero-emission public transportation, reducing Racine's carbon footprint by 922 tons annually and saving the city 60,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year.

The City has installed solar arrays to offset energy costs and keep its environmental commitment to lower carbon emissions. Large solar arrays are located at the Annex Building and Olsen Prairie Park.

The City of Racine also grants permits to residents and businesses for solar panel installation. Of all the city's solar permit requests during the last ten years, half of the requests were made during the last two years – showing a growing interest in solar powered homes and businesses.

Modernizing Racine's public transportation is an ongoing effort. With the help of federal funding, the 1900 Kentucky St. facility is moving to improve the fare collection system, which will allow for smartcard and digital touchless payments. Additionally, a solar array will be installed at this location and will have the following benefits:

• The solar array will allow the transit department to run five city buses without having to purchase either diesel or electricity for a generation.
• Replacing five diesel buses with electric ones will reduce the amount of fuel the city buys by 24,000 gallons a year.
• Will reduce the amount of carbon produced by 249 metric tons per year.

More detailed information on topics including fare capping and cost offsets can be found in  this article  .

Racine has always been a place of innovation. Below is a timeline of some important times in history that have shaped Racine's industrial past. Smart City innovations will continue to move Racine towards a successful and sustainable future.

Visit our  Digital Inclusion Storymap  next!