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Could commutes be improved with "SMART Cities" funding?

Transportation officials says smart city funding could improve travel in Buffalo
NITTEC.org
Transportation officials says smart city funding could improve travel in Buffalo

The "usual delays" during the morning commute may be a thing of the past in the not too distant future. Local agencies are teaming up to apply this week for a federal program to expand the use of technology to improve surface transportation.WBFO's Chris Caya reports...

Transportation officials says smart city funding could improve travel in Buffalo
Credit NITTEC.org
Transportation officials says smart city funding could improve travel in Buffalo

Hal Morse with the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council says the "SMART Cities" program includes linking technology with vehicles.  

"This can happen both for passenger cars, for freight. Can give conditions at the bridges. Can optimize your route. And...when it's complete you'd have like an intelligent city which helps regional decision makers allocate the resources," says Morse. "So in terms of snow plowing, signal timings, everything would be based on technology and the instrumentation providing constant flow of conditions on the roads and in the region."  

The competition is limited to medium-sized cities like Buffalo.

Morse says the U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to announce five finalists in about a month.    

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