Illustrative Use Cases

The following list of use cases are illustrative examples of projects that could be eligible for the SMART Grants Program. This is not an exhaustive list, nor will projects that match these use cases necessarily be selected to receive a SMART grant.

Safety and Reliability

• Increase worker safety and reduce crashes and traffic incidents using workzone safety technologies such as automated crash attenuators that leverage Advanced Driving Systems (ADS).
• Improve safety and reduce costs related to minor collisions with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for public fleet vehicles like transit buses and emergency vehicles, including functions like precision docking; lane keeping or lane centering; and/or bus on shoulder operations.
• Improve state-of-good-repair, reduce costs, and improve safety with the use of sensors, small UAS, or other technologies to enhance infrastructure inspection and asset management processes.
• Prioritize emergency vehicles, buses, and other public fleets through traffic signal priority.
• Protect workers and the traveling public and reduce travel delays through the implementation of the Workzone Data Exchange standard.
• Keep streets and sidewalks clear for safe travel through ADS for automated maintenance vehicles such as street sweepers and plowing.
• Enable responsive traffic management with active grade crossing detection.
• Help target effective deterrence and save lives leveraging rail trespassing detection.

Equity and Access

• Get reduced-fare transit to people who need it by streamlining income-based transit fare programs by integrating back-end databases with other social service programs.
• Improve infrastructure for all by using technology to assess infrastructure that supports mobility, including sidewalks, bus shelters, bike lanes, and curb cuts.
• Improve equity with the integration of climate, public health, and socioeconomic data into transportation operations.
• Improve responsiveness, flexibility, and efficiency of paratransit services with booking, scheduling, and routing systems.
• Enhance transportation for passengers in wheelchairs by integrating an automated wheelchair securement system into transit, paratransit, or local mobility vehicles.

Climate and Resiliency

• Reduce port gate congestion and truck-related emissions with truck reservation systems at ports and intermodal container yards.
• Support local goals such as zero-emission zones or shared streets with digital tools to manage alternative approaches to last-mile delivery.
• Increase grid capacity or offer power into the grid during peaks or outages with the deployment of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technologies.
• Reduce congestion by leveraging trajectory analysis along a corridor to adjust signal timing to current conditions.
• Improve mobility and infrastructure resilience with tools that map and monitor environmental conditions, including roadway flooding, air quality, tree canopy, and sidewalk accessibility.

Integration

• Support local economies, improve mobility, and reduce congestion by digitalization of curb management to optimize use across purposes and modes, including freight, pick-up drop-off, and transit usage. 
• Facilitate on-demand conversion of right-of-way for pedestrians and cyclists with adaptable smart infrastructure.
• Improve operations and maintenance by using sensors to monitor real-time conditions of pavement quality, signage, and crosswalks.
• Address non-reoccurring congestion, prioritize investments for pedestrians and cyclists, or other complex problems, leveraging advanced tools such as AI and digital twins.
• Make safety and mobility improvements through sensors that collect continuous traffic data for passenger vehicles, trucks and buses, cyclists, and pedestrians, and integrate with traffic signalization systems and transportation planning tools.
• Improve the operation and management of traffic signals and develop evaluation criteria that support agency goals leveraging Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measure (ATSPM)-equipped signals.