USDOT awards $16.7 million in SMART grant funding for 11 transit projects

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded more than $50 million in grant awards for 34 technology demonstration projects across the country through the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program. The competitive grant program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will provide $500 million during the course of five years for state, local and Tribal governments to leverage advances in technology to create safer, more efficient and more innovative transportation systems.  

The projects encompass locations across 22 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Out of the $50 million awarded in grant funding, $16.7 million will go towards 11 transit projects. 

"The Biden-Harris administration is proud to award $50 million to promising technology projects that have the potential to help Americans travel more safely, affordably and efficiently," said USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "Today's funding will help 34 communities across the country advance innovative solutions for better rail crossings, safer road intersections, improved transit accessibility and more." 

This is the second year of SMART grant awards, for which USDOT received 321 eligible grant applications.  

“The continued popularity of SMART, building on last year, demonstrates the demand for purpose-driven technology solutions undertaken by state, local and Tribal agencies. We are thrilled to announce another round of exciting and innovative projects,” said Dr. Robert C. Hampshire, USDOT deputy assistant secretary for research and technology and chief science officer. 

The projects selected for funding focus on how various technologies make transportation safer, cleaner, more equitable and more affordable across the country in both rural and urban settings. Some of the projects awarded include: 

• The Denver Regional Council of Governments in Denver, Colo., and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority in Contra Costa County, Calif., will streamline and unify dozens of disparate paratransit providers and systems to make them more accessible.   
• The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Los Angeles, Calif., Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco, Calif., and Metrolink in southern California will use technology to upgrade rail crossing gate detectors, deploy digital wayfinding aids and station facility information and deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) for track intrusion detection. 
• The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in the District of Columbia will develop and pilot an opensource data standard for transit operational data. 
• The city of Shreveport, La., will develop curriculum and training for autonomous vehicles and electric vehicle transit operations in partnership with labor and workforce development partners and engage community organizations, in anticipation of piloting autonomous, first and-last-mile microtransit shuttle service. 
• New Jersey Transit will install AI video analytics to improve detection and safety at at-grade light rail crossings to inform safety countermeasures. 

The SMART Grants Program is a two-stage program, with the $50 million in grant awards focusing on Stage 1 activities, including planning and prototyping. USDOT says recipients will focus on conducting demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems to improve transportation efficiency and safety. 

The full list of awards, as well as an interactive map depicting all SMART projects, can be found on USDOT’s website.