FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2023
Contact: [email protected]
Gov. Whitmer Announces Michigan Wins Over $7 Million in Federal Grants to Improve Transportation Efficiency and Safety
Best in the Midwest, surpassed only by California and New York nationally
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Infrastructure Office is proud to announce that the state of Michigan has been awarded over $7 million in the first round of Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Michigan had the second-highest number of projects funded, receiving the third most total funding in the nation, surpassed only by California and New York.
The SMART grant program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and appropriated with $100 million annually for fiscal years 2022-2026, funds demonstration projects focused on advancing smart community technologies and systems, which will improve transportation efficiency and safety.
“In Michigan, we are committed to leading the future of mobility and electrification, building on our reputation as the place that put the world on wheels,” said Governor Whitmer. “Today’s funding will help us advance technological innovations, optimize data, and build on statewide transportation accessibility, safety, and efficiency. Together, we will continue growing our economy and competing for every resource to come home to Michigan.”
“The fact that four Michigan projects received funding – the second-highest number in the country—is a testament to Michigan’s innovative approach to transportation solutions,” Zachary Kolodin, Chief Infrastructure Officer for the State of Michigan, said. “Deploying smart tech on our roads and bridges will make getting around safer and movement of goods faster, creating good, high-paying jobs. I want to express our gratitude to Senators Peters and Stabenow for their leadership in securing these essential funds. Their support enables us to implement cutting-edge projects that will significantly improve safety, accessibility, and efficiency for our residents.”
Michigan has been awarded funding for four distinct projects, which will have a significant impact on transportation safety, efficiency and international commerce. Below is a brief overview of the four awarded projects:
1. City of Detroit – Detroit Mobility Optimization through Data for Equity and Safety (Detroit MODES) – $2,000,000
This project will create smart intersections by leveraging the existing traffic camera network and deploying AI software solutions. These innovations aim to predict and prevent traffic accidents in Detroit, ensuring safer roadways for all.
2. Michigan Department of Transportation – Advancing Rural Mobility: Michigan Public Transit Open Data Standards Program – $1,310,447
By leveraging open standard data, this project will make real-time public transit information accessible in rural Michigan, enhancing transportation options for residents in these areas.
3. Michigan Department of Transportation – Blue Water Bridge International Smart Freight Corridor – $1,806,218
This initiative will implement a proof of concept for a smart corridor for truckborne goods movement across Port Huron, Michigan’s Blue Water Bridge at the U.S.-Canadian border, improving trade and border crossing efficiency.
4. Road Commission for Oakland County – Leading in Sustainable Safety with V2X technology in Oakland County, Michigan – $2,000,000
This project will create a framework for deploying C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) technology in a sustainable manner, enhancing safety and communication between vehicles and infrastructure.
“The US Department of Transportation has made it clear that diversity, equity and inclusion is important by funding the Detroit Mobility Optimization through Data for Equity and Safety (Detroit MODES) project,” said Tim Slusser, Mayor Duggan’s Chief of Mobility Innovation. “Detroit has the country’s highest concentration of Black Americans (80%) for large cities and consistently ranks near the top of major metropolitan areas with the highest rates of traffic fatalities. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to fundamentally change how we approach roadway safety with real-time data driving towards equitable outcomes.”