Virginia Beach Named a Winner in IDC Government Insights’ Fifth Annual Smart Cities North America Awards

​Virginia Beach has been named a winner in IDC Government Insights' fifth annual Smart Cities North America Awards (SCNAA). The SCNAA program celebrates innovative North American municipalities that exemplify best practices in implementing and advancing Smart Cities projects. The City was recognized for its Traffic Data-Sharing Partnership in the Transportation - Connected & Autonomous Vehicles, Public Transit, Ride-Hailing/Ride-Sharing category. All winners were selected through public voting.

"Now in its fifth year, our annual SCNAA have become a benchmark for how Smart Cities can successfully catalyze the digital transformation of urban ecosystems to produce systemic environmental, financial, and social outcomes," said Ruthbea Yesner, vice president, IDC Government Insights and Smart Cities and Communities Strategies. "Winners represent those forward-thinking municipalities that have implemented emerging technologies in collaboration with the public and ecosystem partners to make cities more livable and offer new services and economic opportunities. We are thrilled to acknowledge this significant achievement."

The City's Traffic Data-Sharing Partnership with Waze builds upon a free two-way exchange of publicly sourced data to improve traffic management for citizens, first responders, regional authorities and other stakeholders. The real-time insights provided by local drivers help better deploy resources and determine infrastructure improvements. From large-scale entertainment, weather and emergency events to daily traffic encounters, this initiative strives to increase visibility and understanding of road conditions across the city, leading to a safer, more efficient driving experience.

"As the City continues to rebound from the economic and social toll of the pandemic, this recognition is a major boost to our collective morale. It symbolizes the level of excellence and consistency with which we approach quality of life for citizens," said Peter Wallace, the City's chief information officer. "We look forward to receiving this award on behalf of our staff, City departments, residents and partners."

The winning municipalities will be honored at the Smart Cities Connect conference April 4-7, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. More details, along with the complete list of winners, can be viewed at www.idc.com.