US senate looking at smart city legislation

A move to provide more federal funding for such approaches to urban traffic congestion as the creation of mini-bus routes, multi-modal transportation centers, and off-peak hours and overnight deliveries, may be acted on soon by members of the U.S. Senate.

As proposed by North Carolina Senator Richard Burr and Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, the Moving and Fostering Innovation to Revolutionize Smarter Transportation Act will provide up to $500 million in funding for what are known as Smart City solutions.

The legislation builds on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Smart Cities Challenge,” which was introduced in late 2015 and asked cities across the country to develop smart transportation systems to move people and goods more efficiently and cheaply.

In a statement, Tim Day, the senior vice-president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Technology Engagement Center, lauded the Senate legislation, noting that “as the densification of urban populations continues, it will be vital that cities are able to more efficiently manage traffic and the services they offer citizens.”

If approved by the Senate, what is being called the Moving FIRST Act will provide $100 million annually for five years to both large and small cities implementing Smart City projects.

By Garry Boulard