The Columbus District Council of the Urban Land Institute congratulates the city of Columbus for ranking among the national finalists in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge designed to promote the integration of innovative technologies into cities’ transportation network.

The winning city, which will be announced in June, would receive up to $40 million to employ new technologies, ranging from driverless vehicles to driver-assisted safety technologies, to make transportation safer, easier and more reliable. An additional $10 million from Microsoft’s co-founder, Paul Allen, would go to electric car deployment and other carbon emission reduction strategies.

“Improving access to jobs, the efficient movement of goods and increased access to services is critical to the sustained growth and prosperity of the Columbus region,” said Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “Columbus neighborhoods, new Americans, disadvantaged residents and visitors to the region will all benefit from a smarter, safer and more accessible community.”

The city plans to address five community challenges – access to jobs, technology-enhanced logistics at Rickenbacker Inland Port, visitor transportation, mobility issues in targeted neighborhoods and expansion of the city’s electric vehicle fleet.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces Seven Finalist Cities for Smart City Challenge

Read more about Columbus’s application proposal.

Written By:

Cheryl Pentella
ULI Columbus Communications Committee Chair
Principal at Pentella Unlimited