FHWA Issues $5.6 Million to States for Innovation Projects
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Seven states will deploy innovative transportation projects with the help of recently issued funding from the Federal Highway Administration.
FHWA announced May 26 that $5.6 million had been distributed in Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration program grants. The AID Demonstration program is meant to incentivize recipients to enhance safety and rebuild infrastructure using technological innovations.
The grant funding was awarded to Alabama, Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Utah.
FHWA today announced more than $5.6 million in Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration program grants to help seven states bring projects to fruition in a more cost-effective way by using innovative practices. https://t.co/jmm63XMObK — Federal Highway Admn (@USDOTFHWA) May 26, 2021
“We need to build our economy back better than ever before,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “That requires using innovative approaches to transportation that deliver results for the American people.”
The South Dakota Department of Transportation was awarded $1 million to deploy and evaluate the use of variable speed limits on two interstate highway corridors. This project is meant to help South Dakota officials craft criteria to adjust speed limits in response to conditions related to weather, roads and traffic.
SDDOT Research Program Manager Dave Huft said these technologies will be deployed on corridors of Interstates 29 and 90 in 2022 and 2023. I-29 is a north-south route that traverses the eastern edge of the state. I-90 is an east-west corridor, running through Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
“The South Dakota Department of Transportation is excited to receive the grant, which will help us create safer interstate highways during severe winter weather,” Huft said. “This investment will help reduce crashes, save lives and help keep traffic moving across South Dakota.”
Two other grants totaling $1 million were issued to the departments of transportation of Utah and Rhode Island.
UDOT will use FHWA-supported technologies such as 3D modeling software and drones to improve project delivery. Rhode Island’s award is meant to support the installation of uncontrolled crosswalk enhancements, including rectangular flashing beacons, pedestrian hybrid beacons, medians and crossing islands, at 25 locations.
An uncontrolled crossing is a sidewalk or designated walkway that intersects with a road at a location where there are no traffic control devices, such as a traffic signal or stop sign, present. Pedestrian hybrid beacons are traffic control devices that are activated by pedestrians when they are needed, rather than at timed intervals.
Some $452,000 was awarded for a project that will be conducted by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and the city of Nashua. The effort, meant to improve pedestrian safety, will involve installation of crosswalk visibility enhancements, beacons and road diets, which are road configurations typically created by converting a four-lane undivided roadway into a three-lane roadway consisting of two through lanes and a central two-way turn lane.
These improvements, which will be put in place at 20 locations in Nashua, are expected to reduce the number and severity of crashes involving pedestrians and help drivers yield to pedestrians. Located along the Massachusetts border, Nashua has a population of about 89,300 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“This location has had a noted increase in the volume of pedestrian traffic over the last few years,” said NHDOT spokeswoman Eileen Meaney. “NHDOT is pleased to support our cities and towns as they pursue AID grants to implement innovations and to share information about this opportunity so that others can improve their local communities as well.”
The Michigan Department of Transportation received $977,398 to “bundle” bridge projects. Bundling allows participants to address several projects that require similar needs under one contract and can save time and money.
Some $448,300 will support the Arizona Department of Transportation and Mohave County’s use of composite arch bridge system (CABS) technology to build a bridge over Truxton Wash. This project marks the first time CABS technology, which involves arches that can be easily transported and put in place without heavy equipment or big crews, will be used in Arizona.
The Alabama Department of Transportation received $741,493 to use Advanced Geotechnical Methods in Exploration (A-GaME) to repair a portion of roadway that was damaged after a landslide.
Since its launch in February 2014, the AID program has dedicated $86.9 million to 117 grant awards, according to FHWA.
“Cash-strapped states are working to deliver essential services and we’re here to help,” said acting Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack. “With the help of these grants, states can more easily deliver cutting-edge roads, bridges, highways, streets and sidewalks at less cost and in less time while improving mobility and safety for all road users.”
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