Murray, Cantwell announce $3.9 million in federal grants to adopt cutting-edge transportation tech in Seattle
(Washington DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced that two grants, totaling $3.9 million, have been awarded to fund innovative, technology-based transportation projects in Seattle.
Rainier Valley Safe is a Sound Transit project to deploy sensors, smart technology traffic signals, and real-time collision warnings generated by artificial intelligence to improve safety along the Martin Luther King Jr. Way South light rail corridor. The project received a $2 million grant.
Last Mile Freight Curb Access: Digitizing the Last-Mile of Urban Goods to Improve Curb Access and Utilization is a City of Seattle project to pilot new curbside data-sharing that could speed commercial deliveries and reduce traffic congestion. The project received a $1.99 million grant.
Both grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) discretionary grant program, which was established under the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law.
“These grants will help improve freight mobility and keep commuters and pedestrians safe,” dijo el senador Murray. “I know how critical these projects are to Seattle, which is why I fought hard for these federal dollars when we were passing the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law. These SMART grants are supporting important projects that will make getting where you need to go in Seattle easier and safer.”
“These grants fund the development of innovative technology solutions to Seattle’s most critical transportation problems, including traffic congestion and road safety,” dijo el senador Cantwell. “Delivering real-time data about available parking spots will let commercial vehicles make deliveries faster, and employing sensor-based technology and automated warnings could help reduce serious accidents along the busy Martin Luther King Way South corridor. These efforts have the potential to improve traffic flow, reduce vehicle emissions, and save lives.”
The SMART Program funds deployment of advanced smart community technologies and systems in order to improve transportation efficiency and safety. The program was part of Sen. Cantwell’s Surface Transportation Investment Act, which passed through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation before its adoption into the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law. Sen. Cantwell serves as chair of the committee.
El Rainier Valley Safe Program is a partnership between Sound Transit and the City of Seattle Department of Transportation. The goal is to improve safety along Martin Luther King Way South, a busy corridor shared by pedestrians, bicyclists, a four-lane highway, and Link light rail. The project will test technology that provides real-time video analytics at rail crossings. This advanced technology uses artificial intelligence to broadcast urgent safety alerts to road users when collisions are imminent, as well as record information about near-misses. The project will also fund smart technology traffic signals that can help prevent collisions and reduce congestion.
El Last Mile Freight Curb Access Programa aims to give commercial vehicle drivers better information so they can park legally and deliver goods faster. According to a 2019 study by the University of Washington’s Urban Freight Lab (UFL), over 40% of commercial vehicles in downtown Seattle park in unauthorized locations. Another study by the same group found that if commercial vehicles were given access to real-time parking availability and the location of load zones, vehicles could reduce their “cruising” time by nearly 30%. The project would explore how to make digitized information about curbside regulations more accessible to commercial drivers, and how to use this information to improve regulations.
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