Department of Transportation Announces Nearly $65 Million in Advanced Technology Transportation Grants

Oct. 13, 2016

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced nearly $65 million in grants to support two initiatives aimed at promoting the use of advanced technologies in transportation: the Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) program run by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Mobility on Demand (MOD) Sandbox program overseen by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

In total, the grants will be leveraged to bring close to $170 million in public and private investment to deploy smart city technologies in both large and small local communities across the nation. These grants build on DOT’s successful Smart City Challenge, which inspired cities, federal agencies, universities, and the private sector to work together to harness new technologies.

The $56.6 million ATCMTD program’s grants are designed to help communities use technology to enhance mobility and expand access to opportunity.

Communities receiving ATCMTD grants include:

  • Pittsburgh, PA, will receive nearly $11 million to execute elements of the vision it developed in its Smart City Challenge application, including deployment of smart traffic signal technology – proven to reduce congestion at street lights by up to forty percent – along major travel corridors.

  • Denver, CO, will also receive approximately $6 million to help to alleviate the congestion caused by a daily influx of 200,000 commuters each workday through connected vehicles.
    A full list can be found here.

See the full list of communities receiving ATCMTD grants.

The $8 million MOD Sandbox Program is part of a larger research effort at U.S. DOT that supports transit agencies and communities as they integrate new mobility tools like smart phone apps, bike- and car-sharing, and demand-responsive bus and van services. MOD projects help make transportation systems more efficient and accessible, particularly for people who lack access to a car.

Examples of MOD Sandbox grants include:

  • TriMet, which serves Portland, OR, will receive funds to integrate shared-use mobility options into its existing trip planning app, allowing users to plan efficient trips even without nearby transit access.

  • The Vermont Agency of Transportation will receive $480,000 for a statewide transit trip planner that will incorporate flexible-route, hail-a-ride, and other services in mobility apps. The online trip planner particularly benefits non-traditional rural transit users and people with disabilities, allowing universal access to transit information.

  • In Dallas, TX, the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will receive $1.2 million to integrate ride-sharing services into its GoPass ticketing app. The project will create an integrated, multimodal application that leverages ride-sharing services, improving access to DART stations, particularly in non-walkable areas not well served by transit.

See the full list of MOD Sandbox grants.

For more information, see the DOT news release.