ITS America Statement on Senate EPW Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill

Washington – The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) supports FAST Act reauthorization that recognizes the added value of integrating technology into transportation infrastructure and provides funding for the rapid deployment of technologies to transportation agencies and providers across the country.

The America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act (ATIA) represents a step in the right direction.

ITS America is encouraged by the creation of a new alternative fuel vehicle program that will reduce greenhouse gases; a congestion relief program that provides funding for mobility on demand; a cybersecurity provision to safeguard critical infrastructure; and a new grant program to ensure our infrastructure can withstand the destructive effects of climate change, extreme weather and natural disasters.

Our biggest challenge in transportation continues to be reducing fatalities on U.S. roadways. This bill creates a new program to expand investment in safety programs, including critical vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology, which protects vulnerable roadway users by helping drivers avoid crashes.

Finally, the bill provides certainty for transportation agencies to continue rebuilding and modernizing our infrastructure. The 20th century was about moving cars. ATIA will help create the smart infrastructure we need to support our technology-driven 21st century economy, which is all about moving people, data and freight. We appreciate the committee’s leadership in moving this reauthorization bill and look forward to working with the other relevant committees as the process continues.

Contact: Cathy St. Denis, cstdenis@itsa.org

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About ITS America The Intelligent Transportation Society of America advances the research and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies to save lives, improve mobility, promote sustainability, and increase efficiency and productivity. Our vision is a better future transformed by intelligent mobility: safer, greener, smarter. For more information, please visit www.itsa.org