The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded over 52 million USD in funding to eight states under the Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) programme.
As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, these grants will fund technology-based solutions to help improve the travel experience in the US.
Notably, the programme provides expanded eligibility for projects in communities that have previously lacked investments.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said:Your zip code shouldn’t determine whether you have access to safe, affordable transportation. With President Biden’s investments in innovative technology, we’re helping communities make transportation safer and more efficient, particularly in places that haven’t received enough resources in the past.
This round of ATTAIN funding will advance the deployment of advanced technologies to improve safety and reduce travel times.
It is hoped that these projects will then serve as national examples of innovation to improve access to transportation for all communities.
Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said:These grants will help deliver a more leading-edge transportation system designed to reach everyone and to work for everyone, especially those in communities that have lacked access to efficient transportation. Whether we’re addressing climate change, or making roads safer, President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is bringing critical solutions to the communities we serve.
The eight selected projects each use of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies that improve mobility and safety.
This includes real-time traffic information, seamless payment systems and transit signal priority.
Specific details of the funded projects in the eight states can be found below:
Arizona – Mohave County
Mohave County will receive 1 million USD in funding to deploy 50 vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) traffic control sign systems throughout rural areas of the county.
These will be targeted at high-speed highway segments and intersection approaches to improve safety.
California – California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Caltrans will receive 7.7 million USD in funding to deploy its Southern California Mobility Wallet project.
This project will provide open-loop payment technology for highway and transit services in Los Angeles County.
This system will enable passengers to pay for mobility services with debit and credit cards, including via contactless payments.
Tony Tavares, Caltrans Director said:We have to innovate and incorporate technology in order to meet the transportation needs of all Californians. This grant will increase access and mobility for underserved communities and help move California toward a universal payment system for transit.
Delaware – Delaware Department of Transportation
The Delaware Department of Transportation will receive 5 million USD in funding to optimise how transportation systems operate before and during flooding.
This project will use advanced technologies to improve the detection of local road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, to improve safety during weather-related events.
Maryland – Maryland Department of Transportation
Maryland DOT will receive 11.9 million USD to deploy new technologies and traffic sensors for traffic prediction, signal timing, curve warning and other messaging to improve safety and mobility along 113 miles of Route 50.
Massachusetts – Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
MBTA will receive nearly 3 million USD for the Boston Regional Transit Signal Priority programme.
This programme will make transit more reliable and efficient by helping buses to be met with a green light at intersections.
Michigan – University of Michigan
The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) will receive 9.8 million USD to prepare infrastructure for the Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) programme.
This will allow vehicle manufacturing collaborators to test and deploy new technologies under the Ann Arbor Connected Environment (AACE) 2.0 project, which uses cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology.
Minnesota – Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation
The Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRR) will receive 9.3 million USD to expand the current Minnesota Autonomous Rural Transit Initiative (MARTI) pilot.
This service provides a free on-demand automated micro-transit service in Grand Rapids.
Its expansion will make transit services more reliant, convenient and accessible in rural communities, including for wheelchair users.
Utah – Utah Department of Transportation
The Utah Department of Transportation will receive 5 million USD in funding for its Connected Communities programme to expand connected vehicle technology and capabilities statewide.
This will include scaling V2X technology across the state, allowing vehicles to share real-time information other road users and infrastructure.
