[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1809 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1809

      To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish the 
   Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) 
  Challenge Grant Program to promote technological innovation in our 
                            Nation's cities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 14, 2017

 Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself and Mr. Burr) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish the 
   Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) 
  Challenge Grant Program to promote technological innovation in our 
                            Nation's cities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Moving and Fostering Innovation to 
Revolutionize Smarter Transportation Act'' or the ``Moving FIRST Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Beyond Traffic 2045, a comprehensive assessment of the 
        national transportation system recently published by the 
        Department of Transportation, identified transportation trends 
        that need to be proactively addressed, including--
                    (A) the population of the United States will 
                increase by 70,000,000 during the 30-year period ending 
                in 2045;
                    (B) emerging megaregions could absorb 75 percent of 
                the United States population by 2050;
                    (C) freight volume will increase by more than 40 
                percent by 2045;
                    (D) Americans are currently stuck in traffic for 
                more than 42 hours each year, on average;
                    (E) the current annual cost of congestion in delays 
                and lost fuel amounts to $160,000,000,000;
                    (F) 96 people die in motor vehicle crashes in the 
                United States every day, on average, and nearly 6,700 
                are injured per day; and
                    (G) connected vehicles and new crash avoidance 
                technology could potentially address 81 percent of 
                crashes involving unimpaired drivers.
            (2) According to the Department of Transportation, in 
        2015--
                    (A) traffic crash-related deaths increased by more 
                than 7 percent compared to 2014;
                    (B) pedestrian fatalities increased by more than 9 
                percent compared to 2014; and
                    (C) pedalcyclist fatalities increased by more than 
                12 percent compared to 2014.
            (3) In 2015, the Secretary of Transportation created the 
        Smart City Challenge to assist cities in addressing the 
        challenges facing our Nation's transportation system through 
        innovative and creative means, utilizing both the public and 
        the private sectors.
            (4) By asking American cities to use emerging 
        transportation technologies to address their most pressing 
        problems, the Smart City Challenge aimed to spark and spread 
        innovation through a mixture of collaboration, competition, and 
        experimentation.
            (5) The following outcomes were expected from the original 
        Smart City Challenge and are expected to result from the SMART 
        grants awarded under this Act:
                    (A) Improved safety from the use of advanced 
                technologies, including connected vehicle technologies, 
                to reduce the number of collisions, fatalities, and 
                injuries for vehicle occupants and nonvehicle 
                occupants.
                    (B) Enhanced mobility by providing realtime 
                traveler information and emerging mobility services to 
                improve personal mobility for all citizens including 
                people with lower incomes, people with disabilities, 
                and older adults.
                    (C) Enhanced ladders of opportunity by--
                            (i) providing access to advanced technology 
                        and its benefits for underserved areas and 
                        residents;
                            (ii) increasing connectivity to employment, 
                        education, and other services; and
                            (iii) contributing to revitalization by 
                        incentivized reinvestment in underserved 
                        communities.
                    (D) Reduction in pollution by implementing advanced 
                technologies and policies that support a more 
                sustainable and cost-effective relationship between 
                transportation and the environment through more 
                efficient fuel use and emissions reductions.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Eligible applicant.--The term ``eligible applicant'' 
        means a large city, a mid-sized city, a rural community, or a 
        regional partnership.
            (2) Large city.--The term ``large city'' means a 
        beneficiary city with a population between 400,000 and 
        1,000,000, according to the Census Bureau's most recent annual 
        estimates of resident population.
            (3) Mid-sized city.--The term ``mid-sized city'' means a 
        beneficiary city with a population between 75,000 and 400,000, 
        according to the Census Bureau's most recent annual estimates 
        of resident population.
            (4) Multi-jurisdictional group.--The term ``multi-
        jurisdictional group'' means a beneficiary composed of two or 
        more combination of States, tribal governments, local 
        governments, public transit agencies, public toll authorities, 
        or metropolitan planning agencies, each of which is eligible to 
        apply for a SMART grant under section 4.
            (5) Regional partnership.--The term ``regional 
        partnership'' means a group of two or more jurisdictions with a 
        combined population between 10,000 and 75,000, according to the 
        Census Bureau's most recent annual estimates of resident 
        population, which have entered into a partnership to apply for 
        a SMART grant under section 4.
            (6) Rural community.--The term ``rural community'' means a 
        beneficiary jurisdiction with a population between 10,000 and 
        75,000 people, not located within an urbanized area or cluster, 
        according to the Census Bureau's most recent annual estimates 
        of resident population.
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
            (8) Strengthening mobility and revolutionizing 
        transportation grant; smart grant.--The terms ``Strengthening 
        Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation grant'' and ``SMART 
        grant'' means a grant awarded to an eligible applicant under 
        section 4.

SEC. 4. SMART GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--During each of the fiscal years 2019 
through 2023, the Secretary is authorized to award--
            (1) one SMART grant of not less than $30,000,000 or more 
        than $50,000,000 to an applicant on behalf of a large city to 
        carry out an eligible project;
            (2) one SMART grant of not less than $30,000,000 or more 
        than $50,000,000 to an applicant on behalf of a mid-sized city 
        to carry out an eligible project; and
            (3) two SMART grants, totaling not more than the greater of 
        $20,000,000 or 20 percent of the amount appropriated pursuant 
        to section 6(a) for the fiscal year, to applicants on behalf of 
        rural communities or regional partnerships to carry out 
        eligible projects.
    (b) Application Process.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible applicant may apply for a 
        grant under this section by submitting an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may reasonably require to evaluate 
        the merits of the proposed project in accordance with the 
        selection criteria set forth in subsection (c).
            (2) Technical assistance.--
                    (A) State departments of transportation.--Eligible 
                rural and regional partnership applicants are strongly 
                encouraged to seek technical assistance from the 
                department of transportation in their respective States 
                during the application process and during the 
                implementation of a project that is awarded a SMART 
                grant, as applicable.
                    (B) Federal department of transportation.--The 
                Secretary, after reviewing all of the applications for 
                SMART grants submitted in a fiscal year under 
                paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a), shall--
                            (i) provide not fewer than 2 applicants 
                        from each of the 3 groups of applicants that 
                        submitted applications deemed superior by the 
                        Secretary with limited technical assistance to 
                        improve their respective applications; and
                            (ii) allow such applicants to resubmit 
                        their improved applications before determining 
                        which applicants will receive a SMART grant in 
                        such fiscal year.
            (3) Multiple grants.--An eligible applicant may not be 
        awarded more than one SMART grant during the duration of the 
        SMART Grant Program.
    (c) Selection Criteria.--
            (1) In general.--A panel of experts from the Department of 
        Transportation, including representatives from the applicable 
        subagencies within the Department, shall evaluate applications 
        for SMART grants based on the applicable criteria described in 
        paragraphs (2) through (4).
            (2) Applicant readiness.--The panel referred to in 
        paragraph (1) shall determine the extent to which the applicant 
        or beneficiary city--
                    (A) has a dense urban population typical for a 
                large or mid-sized American city;
                    (B) represents more than 15 percent of the 
                population of the census-designated place in which it 
                is located, according to the Census Bureau's most 
                recent annual estimates of resident population;
                    (C) has a public transportation system or other 
                transit options committed to integrating with the 
                sharing economy, and is considering options to reduce 
                the frequency of single occupancy vehicles;
                    (D) has an environment that is conducive to 
                demonstrating proposed strategies;
                    (E) has continuity of committed leadership and 
                capacity to carry out the proposed project;
                    (F) is committed to making open, machine-readable 
                data accessible, discoverable, and usable by the 
                public, in a secure fashion, to fuel entrepreneurship 
                and innovation; and
                    (G) is likely to successfully implement the 
                project, including technical and financial commitments 
                from public and private sectors, and its functional 
                capability to perform.
            (3) Effective use of technology and project benefits.--The 
        panel shall determine the extent to which the proposed project 
        will use advanced data and intelligent transportation systems 
        technologies and applications to provide significant benefits 
        to a local area, a State, a region, or the United States, 
        including the extent to which the project will--
                    (A) reduce congestion and delays for commerce and 
                the traveling public;
                    (B) improve the safety of transportation facilities 
                and systems for pedestrians and the traveling public;
                    (C) provide access to jobs, education, and 
                essential services, including health care;
                    (D) connect underserved populations and reduce 
                their transportation costs;
                    (E) contribute to medium- and long-term economic 
                competitiveness;
                    (F) improve the condition of existing 
                transportation facilities and systems;
                    (G) promote connectivity between the public and 
                transportation systems;
                    (H) use innovative strategies or technologies to 
                pursue any of the primary selection criteria;
                    (I) demonstrate strong collaboration among a broad 
                range of participants, including the private sector, or 
                the integration of transportation with other public 
                service efforts;
                    (J) improve the environment, improve energy 
                efficiency, reduce dependence on oil, or reduce 
                pollution; and
                    (K) address issues identified by the Department of 
                Transportation in the Beyond Traffic 2045 report.
    (d) Use of Grant Funds.--
            (1) Vision elements.--A SMART grant may be used for a 
        project that demonstrates a sound, innovative, integrated, and 
        holistic approach and incorporates many aspects of the 
        applicable vision elements set forth in this paragraph.
                    (A) Coordinated automation.--The use of automated 
                transportation and autonomous vehicles, which offer 
                tremendous possibilities for enhancing safety, 
                mobility, accessibility, equity, and the environment.
                    (B) Connected vehicles.--Connected vehicles, which 
                send and receive information about their movements in 
                the network, use vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-
                infrastructure communications to provide connectivity 
                that will enable countless safety, mobility, and 
                environmental applications.
                    (C) Intelligent, sensor based infrastructure.--The 
                use of a collective intelligent infrastructure allows 
                sensors to collect and report real-time data to inform 
                every day transportation-related operations and 
                performance and trends of a city, ensuring that data 
                collection and dissemination is conducted in a safe, 
                secure manner.
                    (D) Architecture and standards.--The explicit use 
                of architectures, which--
                            (i) are governed by rules, documentation, 
                        and standards;
                            (ii) may be extended to a nationwide or 
                        broader deployment;
                            (iii) are defined and demonstrate 
                        integration of intelligent transportation 
                        systems with other systems which comprise a 
                        smart city; and
                            (iv) include a description of the required 
                        interfaces to other systems that utilize 
                        existing networking or other standards, if 
                        available, and any new standards that may be 
                        needed.
                    (E) Low cost, efficient, secure, and resilient 
                information and communications technology.--Strategies 
                and practices that advance information and 
                communications technology that is affordable, 
                adaptable, efficient, secure and resilient, including 
                integrated telecommunications platforms, enterprise 
                software, storage, and visualization systems.
                    (F) SMART land use.--Strategies and practices that 
                ensure land use is efficiently optimized through a 
                combination of planning and innovation deployments, 
                altogether designed to lead to a better connected 
                community that expands the range of transportation 
                choices and access to employment, housing, education 
                and health services.
                    (G) Comprehensive analytics.--The development of 
                platforms for understanding and analyzing data to 
                address complex challenges, including personal safety 
                and mobility, network efficiency, and environmental 
                sustainability, and measuring the performance of a 
                transportation network.
                    (H) User-focused mobility services and choices.--
                Strategies, initiatives, and services that increase 
                transportation choices and options by supporting and 
                improving mobility for all travelers, including aging 
                Americans and persons with disabilities and advanced 
                traveler information systems that provide real-time 
                traffic, transit, parking, and other transportation-
                related information to travelers.
                    (I) Commerce delivery and logistics.--Innovative 
                solutions supporting efficient goods movement in ways 
                that use data or deploy technology to create 
                opportunities for a more efficient supply chain 
                approach that delivers safer logistics management, 
                improved on-time pickups and delivery, improved travel 
                time reliability, reduced fuel consumption, and reduced 
                labor and vehicle maintenance costs.
                    (J) Strategic business models and partnering 
                opportunities.--Creative strategic partnerships that 
                draw in stakeholders, including private sector, 
                nonprofit, foundation, philanthropic, academia, and 
                other public agencies, to advance SMART grant 
                solutions.
                    (K) SMART grid, roadway electrification, and 
                electric vehicles.--Strategies and initiatives that 
                leverage the smart grid (a programmable and efficient 
                energy transmission and distribution system) in an 
                effort to support the adoption or expansion of roadway 
                electrification, and electric vehicle deployment. 
                Interactions between electric vehicles and intelligent 
                transportation systems with the smart grid should be 
                explored and utilized.
                    (L) Synchronization of technology.--Strategies and 
                initiatives that utilize technology to enhance public 
                interaction with transportation systems and increase 
                intermodal efficiency, such as broadband or Wi-Fi 
                access.
                    (M) Connected, involved citizens.--Strategies, 
                local campaigns, and processes to proactively engage 
                and inform citizens at the individual level by 
                deploying hardware, software, and open data platforms 
                in an effort to increase personal mobility.
            (2) Eligible project costs.--A SMART grant may be used 
        for--
                    (A) development phase activities, including a 
                reasonable amount of funding, as determined by the 
                Secretary, for--
                            (i) planning;
                            (ii) feasibility analysis;
                            (iii) revenue forecasting;
                            (iv) environmental review;
                            (v) permitting;
                            (vi) preliminary engineering and design 
                        work;
                            (vii) systems development or information 
                        technology work; and
                            (viii) other preconstruction activities; 
                        and
                    (B) construction phase activities, including--
                            (i) construction;
                            (ii) reconstruction;
                            (iii) rehabilitation;
                            (iv) replacement;
                            (v) acquisition of real property (including 
                        land related to the eligible project and 
                        improvements to land);
                            (vi) environmental mitigation;
                            (vii) construction contingencies; and
                            (viii) acquisition of equipment, including 
                        vehicles.
            (3) Prohibited use of grant funds.--SMART grants may not be 
        used--
                    (A) to reimburse any pre-award costs or application 
                preparation costs under the proposed project 
                application; or
                    (B) for traffic or parking enforcement activities.
    (e) Transparency.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall include, in any notice 
        of funding availability, a full description of how applications 
        will be evaluated against the criteria set forth in subsection 
        (c).
            (2) Consultations on decisions.--After all SMART grants 
        have been awarded for a fiscal year, the Secretary (or the 
        Secretary's designee) shall be available to meet with any 
        unsuccessful applicant, at a time and place that is mutually 
        acceptable to the Secretary and the applicant, to review the 
        application of the applicant.
    (f) Submission of Application for Other Federal Transportation 
Funding Programs To Carry Out Proposed SMART Grant Projects.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an eligible applicant for a 
SMART grant under this section may submit an application for projects 
outlined in the applicant's SMART grant application to seek Federal 
financial assistance for the proposed transportation project through--
            (1) the Transportation Investment Generating Economic 
        Recovery grant program (commonly known as ``TIGER'');
            (2) the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant program 
        (commonly known as ``INFRA'');
            (3) the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and 
        Innovation program established under chapter 6 of title 23, 
        United States Code (commonly known as ``TIFIA''); or
            (4) the Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management 
        Technologies Deployment Program established under section 
        503(c)(4) of title 23, United States Code (commonly known as 
        ``ATCMTD'').

SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Report to Secretary.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
which a SMART grant recipient receives a grant under section 4, and 
annually thereafter until such grant is expended, the recipient shall 
submit an implementation report to the Secretary that describes--
            (1) the deployment and operational costs compared to the 
        benefits and savings from the project; and
            (2) how the project has met the original expectation as 
        projected in the deployment plan submitted with the 
        application, including--
                    (A) data on how the program--
                            (i) has helped reduce traffic crashes, 
                        congestion, and costs;
                            (ii) has improved access to jobs, 
                        education, or essential services; and
                            (iii) has provided other benefits through 
                        deployed systems;
                    (B) data on the effect of measuring and improving 
                transportation system performance through the 
                deployment of advanced technologies;
                    (C) the effectiveness of providing real-time 
                integrated traffic, transit, and multimodal 
                transportation information to the public to make 
                informed travel decisions; and
                    (D) lessons learned and recommendations for future 
                deployment strategies to optimize transportation 
                efficiency and multimodal system performance.
    (b) GAO Biennial Reviews.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and biennially thereafter, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall conduct a review of the SMART grant 
selection process and submit a report containing the results of such 
review to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the annual 
awarding of grants under section 4, the Secretary shall submit a report 
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives that describes the effectiveness of 
SMART grant recipients in meeting their projected deployment plan, 
including data on how the projects funded by such grants or by other 
Department of Transportation financial assistance described in section 
4(f) have--
            (1) reduced traffic-related fatalities and injuries;
            (2) reduced traffic congestion and improved travel time 
        reliability;
            (3) reduced transportation-related emissions;
            (4) optimized multimodal system performance;
            (5) improved access to transportation alternatives;
            (6) implemented technological innovation to increase 
        efficiency with regards to intermodal communication, energy 
        consumption, information and communications technology, and 
        personal mobility;
            (7) provided the public with access to real-time integrated 
        traffic, transit, and multimodal transportation information to 
        make informed travel decisions;
            (8) provided cost savings to transportation agencies, 
        businesses, and the traveling public;
            (9) provided other benefits to transportation users and the 
        general public;
            (10) reduced barriers to various essential services; and
            (11) utilized partnerships with the private sector.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Department of Transportation $100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2019 through 2023 to carry out this Act, of which--
            (1) 80 percent shall be used for SMART grants to large 
        cities and mid-sized cities under paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
        section 4(a); and
            (2) 20 percent shall be used for SMART grants to rural 
        communities or regional partnerships under section 4(a)(3).
    (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated for a fiscal year pursuant 
to this section shall be available for obligation during the 2-year 
period beginning on the first day of the fiscal year for which they 
were appropriated.
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