The Alabama Department of Transportation’s (ALDOT) Southwest region has announced its intent to apply for federal grant subsidies in order to boost the intelligent transportation system (ITS) operations on three interstates.
ALDOT has been plain about its efforts to improve interstate safety and efficiency and increased ITS on I-10, I-165 and I-65 is being characterized as simply the next logical step in fulfilling its intent.
While the overall funding situation for infrastructure remains under heavy debate, ALDOT is focusing its application measures on the U.S. DOT’s TIGER grant program, which, while competitive, exists expressly to fund projects such as those planned.
The first of the two proposed projects, the Southwest Alabama Region Mobility and Safety project (SWARMS), would implement advanced ITS applications along 66 miles of the east-west I-10 corridor across lower Alabama between the Mississippi and Florida state lines, a crucial artery to commerce and commuting alike, and over 20 miles of I-65 and I-165. The total cost of the project would be approximately $8.3 million, with $4.5 million coming from TIGER funds.
The second project will be a combined effort with the Mississippi and Louisiana departments of transportation, which would implement advanced ITS operations along 190 miles of the I-10 corridor from New Orleans eastward to the Florida state line. The tri-state system would then have the ability to connect with Florida's I-10 ITS network, which will extend the corridor operations to I-95 in Jacksonville. This project’s price tag will be approximately $24 million, with $14.5 million coming from TIGER funds, should the grant be awarded.
In terms of practical application, these projects would install more message boards with travel times and accident alerts for commuters, as well as more closed-circuit cameras to monitor the roadways in order to decrease emergency-vehicle response time for accidents. By linking together multiple states along the I-10 corridor, advance warning of delays could be broadcasted on message boards in neighboring states, providing ample time for rerouting of traffic when necessary.
In early April, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced $500 million in funds will be made available for the seventh round of TIGER grants.
