U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the first round of grants, worth more than $94 million, for 59 projects through the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program.
The program, established under President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, offers state, local and Tribal governments $500 million over five years to use technology to create innovative, efficient, safer and more equitable transportation systems, according to a March 21 news release. The SMART Grants Program is a competitive grant initiative that aims to leverage technology to help create transportation systems that are safer and more equitable.
"Every major advancement in the history of U.S. transportation has involved technological progress," Buttigieg said in the release. "The investments we are making today are about fostering innovations that improve people's day-to-day lives, making transportation safer, more reliable, more efficient and more sustainable."
The projects cover a diverse range of topics and communities, including improving safety for workers and drivers in work zones; enhancing transit reliability, speed and fare payment; demonstrating smart traffic signal technologies; and leveraging sensors and data to improve curb management practices, the release reported.
Other projects will focus on smart grid initiatives to prepare for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, deploying sensor deployments for data collection and leveraging uncrewed aircraft systems for infrastructure inspections and medical package deliveries, according to the release.
The full list of awardees can be found on the Transportation Department's website, with a maximum award of $2 million per project. The next round of funding, totaling $100 million, is expected to be released in fall 2023, the release reported.
"Technology and innovation are reshaping our transportation systems," Buttigieg said in a March 21 Twitter post. "And with federal funding, we are helping to ensure that these changes are for the better. Delighted to announce the first 59 SMART grant awardees across the USA."