City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: JUNE 18, 2024
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: ADRIANA CASTA?EDA, DIRECTOR, TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
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Consideration of a Resolution for a Grant Application to the United States Department of Transportation for the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation Program. [ROLL-CALL VOTE].
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ISSUE: Request to submit an application for the 2024 Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation Program (SMART) discretionary grant program to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council:
1. Approve a resolution to support the submission of up to $2,000,000 for Stage 1 Planning and Prototyping grant for the integration of AI-powered road quality and sign detection into our asset management process.
2. Authorize the City Manager to apply to the SMART discretionary grant program and enter into any agreements with USDOT to accept and implement the grant.
BACKGROUND: The USDOT's SMART Grant Program offers funding for projects that use technology to improve transportation safety and efficiency. The program is funded at $100 million annually for fiscal years 2022-2026. SMART grants are awarded through a two-stage process. In stage one, eligible entities can apply for grants of up to $2 million to develop their projects. Stage two grants of up to $15 million are available to expand projects that successfully complete stage one. The program is designed to encourage innovation in transportation systems and communities. It funds projects that use new and existing technologies to address real-world transportation challenges.
Stage 1 SMART grants fund projects to develop plans for implementing new transportation technologies. The goal is to either create a...
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