The U.S. Department of Transportation recently opened the application period for two programs that will award approximately $160 million annually over the next five years to projects that use technology to improve transportation infrastructure and make communities safer.
The Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program will offer up to $100 million in grants to projects that use data and technology to solve real-world challenges communities face. The program is open to state, local, and tribal governments and agencies.
It is seeking proposals from the public sector that address vehicle technology such as automation and connectivity; systems innovation such as delivery and logistics, traffic signals, smart grid, and data integration; or new ways to monitor and manage infrastructure, like sensors and unmanned aircraft systems.
The Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) program will offer $60 million to projects that promote advanced technologies that improve safety and reduce travel time. The project must serve as a national example and will be evaluated on potential jobs creation, economic impact, environmental justice impacts, and climate change impacts.
The program is open to state departments of transportation, local governments, transit agencies, and metropolitan planning organizations.
The deadline for SMART and ATTAIN applications is Nov. 18.