The U.S. Department of Transportation launched its second year of the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation Grants Program. The program works to fund advanced transportation tech under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to an Aug. 8 news release.
“Our SMART program helps give state, local and Tribal governments the resources they need to find technological solutions to some of their most pressing transportation challenges,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the release, emphasizing the transformative potential of new technologies such as connected vehicles and smart traffic signals.
Introduced under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which President Joe Biden signed Nov. 15, 2021, this initiative is committed to allocating up to $500 million in grants over the next five years, the release reported. The focus remains on the implementation of advanced smart community technologies and systems to enhance transportation safety and efficiency.
The current call for applications, as detailed in the notice of funding opportunity, is designated for Stage 1 Planning and Prototyping grants. This stage zeroes in on spurring innovations that tackle real-world transportation hurdles while simultaneously amplifying technological and data capabilities of the aforementioned government bodies, the release said.
The program is expressly designed to provide the necessary support and resources to public transportation agencies, many of which currently struggle with implementing new technologies, according to the release.
Eligible public sector entities can explore an array of technological domains, including coordinated automation, connected vehicles, innovative aviation, smart grid applications and hnhanced traffic signals, among others, the release reported.
“The Department is investing in new technology solutions that make our transportation systems safer and more efficient," USDOT Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology Dr. Robert C. Hampshire said in the release. "Last year’s inaugural SMART grants reflected this dynamic, centering on solutions in areas like safety, transit innovation and managing public space, addressing pressing challenges in communities with right-sized innovations.”
