Infrastructure Potential of Creating "Smart Cities"

Creating" smart cities" is becoming an integral part of the strategy to mitigate consequences of the problems caused by urban population growth and rapid urbanization. It allows finding out a new course for the development of certain regions' economy and the country as a whole. This problem is an essential new issue for the Russian Federation; however, only a few researchers focus on this topic. Most technologies and domains which a "smart city" is based on are connected with appropriate infrastructure. Roads and utility networks that have a significant impact on cities and regions matter a lot. The given article considers the hypothesis that the level and dynamics of the regional infrastructure development influence creation of "smart cites" considerably. The notion a "smart city" requires implementing new digital technologies, and it is based on opportunities that are offered within the transition to the new technological paradigm. Having reviewed significant amount of literature related to various branches of sciences, and used the rating of infrastructure development of regions and "The Strategy of Spatial Development of the Russian Federation until 2025", the city ranking in regard to opportunities of the efficient use for all regional resources is carried out. Based on the data from the portal "The Bank of Solutions of the Smart City" created by the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation to integrate best practices of smart cities development, projects executed in the cities taking part in the research are considered. Obtained results have allowed us to make conclusions on key challenges related to the development of smart cities and those transformations of a regional space that they are accompanied by. The advantages and disadvantages of smart city creation are identified.