Federal grants aim to boost technology for road safety in metro Phoenix
Technology aimed at improving road safety in metro Phoenix will get a boost from federal grants awarded to Phoenix and the Arizona Commerce Authority.
Both the city and the economic development agency were chosen as recipients of Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grants, part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The grants were about $2 million each.
Grants focus on pedestrian safety, connected vehicles
Phoenix was chosen for a project that will integrate technology into stoplights along the Grand Canal to detect pedestrians and cyclists passively, so they could be given a walk sign without having to press a button to alert the light they are there.
The Arizona Commerce Authority is partnering with the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Verizon, the Arizona Department of Transportation, Maricopa County Department of Transportation, Maricopa County Association of Governments, Valley Metro and Chicanos Por La Causa on its project. Its project involves technology called “vehicle to everything.”
The technology, which is being developed around the country, communicates through mobile networks with other vehicles, emergency services and other entities that could affect the vehicle’s performance. In this program, drivers would be alerted through their cell phone of an upcoming hazard, similar to how some of the smartphone mapping apps alert for crashes ahead while on a route. This technology would be able to communicate hazards like crashes, slowed traffic, blocked roadways or other dangers to drivers who opt in for the notifications.
The program is not specifically designed for autonomous vehicles, but “vehicle to everything” technology is a crucial part of autonomous vehicle infrastructure.
First phase of grants focused on scope, planning
The city and ACA were awarded phase one grants, which fund planning and readying infrastructure for the improvements. They can then apply for phase two grants to fund implementation.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded grants to 59 projects in the first round of funding, including the two in Arizona. Of those projects, 10 were related to smart traffic signals and seven were related to connected vehicles. Other grants nationwide focused on a wide variety of projects, like drone delivery of medication to rural areas, or equipping public transit vehicles with driver assist technology for collision avoidance.
Robert Hampshire, deputy assistant secretary for research and technology for the U.S. Department of Transportation, said the grants were disbursed based on projects that demonstrated need and potential to impact safety, and projects that were developed at the local level. Hampshire visited the Maricopa County Traffic Management Center in April to discuss the grants and see the plans.
The local projects will be used as proof of concept for some of the ideas, which could then be replicated across the country at a wider scale, he said. Municipalities and organizations with similar projects will be put in touch with one another to share their experiences.
The first phase of the grants will undergo an 18-month performance period to determine the scope and infrastructure needed to get the idea going, Hampshire said. Eligible grant recipients can apply for grants for the next phase, which focuses on deploying the technology.
Reach the reporter at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @CorinaVanek.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Federal grants aim to boost technology for road safety in metro Phoenix
