Did you know that technology-specific deployment programs comprised only one-tenth of one percent (0.10%) of surface transportation funds in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act?
Given the outsized impact technology can bring to our system, we must do more to prioritize and strengthen investment in technology within the transportation system. Public agencies often rely on older systems and digital processes. Many systems cannot communicate and share data with each other across state and city boundaries – making our communications inefficient and costly. Our surface transportation system deserves state-of-the-art technology suitable for the 21st century and beyond – and we have an exceptional opportunity to advance this through surface reauthorization. Over the last century, great strides have been made to improve our national transportation system. From the creation and expansion of our Interstate Highway System to the freight and logistics revolution and the development and advent of ubiquitous commercial aviation – the U.S. has established an abiding global legacy of transportation innovation, vision, and leadership. While there is much about this legacy to celebrate, we must simultaneously ensure that our transportation system is prepared to deliver a similar legacy over this century – a century that will be defined by what we are able to accomplish through the comprehensive integration of transportation technologies and innovations.
ITS America’s surface transportation reauthorization proposal presents three key pillars needed to unlock the potential of our investment in digital infrastructure and transportation technologies:
In the next surface reauthorization, Congress and the Administration should lead with innovation by integrating technology into all of our surface transportation programs through a holistic and cohesive approach that invests in our nation’s digital infrastructure. Bold actions are needed to achieve bold results, and technology’s benefits are clear.
Layering technology into our physical infrastructure brings safety, efficiency, and economic benefits – making it the smart choice for transportation agencies across the country.
Now is the time for greater federal leadership to unlock technology’s potential in the surface transportation system and empower states and cities across the U.S. to integrate technology more holistically into transportation projects.
