Congratulations to OMF members Contra Costa Transportation Authority, LA Metro, and the City of Boston for receiving funding for infrastructure projects through USDOT’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grant program, which has now awarded a total $148 million in grants to 93 projects across 39 states.
While each project is unique, they share a common goal to develop the data systems and digital infrastructure needed to create safer, more equitable, and environmentally sustainable transportation systems:
Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s (CCTA) Integrated Open Data Platform for Multimodal Accessible Transportation (OPTIMAT) Project
Develop and test an integrated, open standards based, platform for finding, booking, and using paratransit options across 26 public and private organizations.
LA Metro’s Rail Crossing Gate Optimization Project
Upgrade rail crossing gate detectors with wireless technology and improve detection of pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists to reduce unnecessary gate downtime.
City of Boston’s Digitizing Boston’s Curbs via Machine Learning Project
Develop a curb data inventory, using computer vision and machine learning to digitize street signs and update the inventory in real time.
Learn more about all the FY23 awardees here.
MEETING PROJECT GOALS USING CDS
The City of Boston joins nine public agencies awarded SMART Grant funding in FY22 (Buffalo, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and Miami-Dade County) in using the open source Curb Data Specification (CDS) – developed by the OMF – to digitally communicate and analyze curb information to reduce congestion, enhance livability, and improve safety and equity.Â
CDS is a digital tool that helps cities and companies pilot and scale dynamic curb zones. This open source data standard provides a mechanism for expressing static and dynamic regulations, measuring activity at the curb, and developing policies that create more accessible, useful curbs. CDS was initially released in 2022 and is now used by dozens of public agencies and companies globally. Cities around the world recognize the need to develop a common curb data standard that gives them the tools and information to enact major curb management projects and support policy innovation. Businesses also recognize that digital curb tools drive efficiency for all.
THE SMART CURB COLLABORATIVE
In addition to using CDS, the nine public agencies awarded grants for curb management in FY22 are convening as a collaborative organized by the Open Mobility Foundation. Through this cohort-based approach, the OMF and its partners provide technical implementation assistance, facilitate peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchanges, and continue to develop CDS based on real-world implementation.
As an open-source organization, the Open Mobility Foundation welcomes various Read more
If your agency is considering SMART grant projects around mobility Read more
Already more than two dozen cities and companies are adopting Read more