Through its SMART grants program, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded more than $130 million in grants for 42 technology demonstration projects this past December. SMART, an acronym for Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation, is a discretionary grant program first established with the passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in November 2021.
The SMART program officially began at the start of 2022 with $100 million in grant funding and provides grants to eligible public sector agencies whose projects focus on accelerating innovative community technologies and systems that improve transportation efficiency and safety. The grant money is appropriated annually through 2026.
The grant program consists of two-stages. All eligible entities are permitted to apply for the first of its two stages of grants — Stage One offers funds up to $2 million for 18 months. If successful, Stage One participants are invited to apply for Stage Two grants. This phase of grant money gives up to $15 million for 36 months.
Since its launch, the SMART Grants program has funded projects spanning 45 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., with nearly $280 million in grants. Among the awardees were the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities and the Utah Department of Transportation.
Photo Courtesy USDOT Office of Research and Technology
Of the $130 million in SMART Program Grants announced by the USDOT in December 2024, $54 million was awarded to 34 projects across 21 states through Stage One grants. The other $85 million was distributed to eight projects for SMART Stage Two grants.
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg celebrated the program for awarding funds to different levels of government.
“Through the SMART Grants Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are investing in new technologies and approaches that can help communities across the country address their most pressing transportation challenges,” he said in an official USDOT press release. “The awards we’re announcing today will put funding in the hands of state, local, and Tribal governments to support their key priorities, which range from the delivery of medical supplies in rural areas to ensuring transportation system resilience in the face of natural disasters.”
Photo Courtesy automatic6517
The future of the program appears bright, with over 300 eligible Stage One grant applications having been submitted in this most recent round. The grants awarded make it clear that there is both a bipartisan need and desire for addressing transportation challenges throughout the United States.
