The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that it is accepting applications for two programmes that will make US$160m (£140m) available annually for the next five years for projects that use technology to improve transportation infrastructure and make communities safer.
The first is the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grants programme, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by US president Joe Biden on 15 November 2021.
The programme will offer up to US$100m (£87.5m) in grants annually over the next five years and will fund projects that use data and technology to solve real-world challenges facing communities.
“As we undertake the most ambitious infrastructure investment in generations, thanks to the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we can and must plan for the transportation needs of the future,” said US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“From connected vehicles that make driving safer, to smart traffic signals that reduce congestion, to sensors to detect the quality of pavement to help prioritise repair, our SMART grants will fund technology that makes people’s lives better in communities across America.”
The SMART programme will fund purpose-driven innovation and focus on building data and technology capacity and expertise. It seeks proposals from public sector entities that will carry out demonstration projects in several domains to address key transportation priorities:
- Vehicle technology, such as automation and connectivity
- Systems innovation, such as delivery and logistics, traffic signals, smart grid, and data integration
- New ways to monitor and manage infrastructure, such as sensors and UAS
The second is the Federal Highway Administration’s US$60m (£52.5m) Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) programme to promote advanced technologies to improve safety and reduce travel times for drivers and transit riders and that can serve as national examples.
As a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, ATTAIN-eligible projects will be evaluated on how they consider climate change and environmental justice impacts – including how they reduce transportation-related air pollution and address disproportionate impacts on disadvantaged communities. In addition, projects are evaluated on their economic impact and potential to create jobs.
