The program is a byproduct of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in November 2021, which looks to provide “state, local, and tribal governments $500 million over five years to leverage technology to create safer, more equitable, efficient, and innovative transportation systems.”
In this case, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has pulled $94 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund 59 transportation projects nationwide.
For Texas, these funds will impact the state in two ways:
- Harris County will receive $2 million to study and implement a user dashboard to alert residents in flood-prone areas.
- TxDOT will receive $1.9 million to install smart intersection technology featuring visual and auditory devices in College Station.
As awardees, Harris County and TxDOT will start building internal teams and partnerships, focus on technology procurement and demonstration and develop labor and workforce road maps in preparation for these funds.
As for future funding, the SMART Grants Program is expected to announce an additional $100 million in grants by this fall.
For more information, check out USDOT’s FY22 SMART Project List.
