The Federal Highway Administration issued a notice of funding opportunity on June 18 for $2.4 million in Work Zone Data Exchange or WZDx grants to promote the development of shared data feeds on work zones across America’s states and localities.
[Above photo by the Louisiana DOTD.]
The agency said information from those data feeds would also be available for in-vehicle applications allowing automated vehicles to learn about nearby work zones and navigate them safely.
“The goal of the program is to increase public safety on the roadway through the gathering and sharing of information on work zones nationwide,” noted Nicole Nason, FHWA’s administrator, in a statement.
“Up-to-date information about dynamic conditions occurring on roads – such as construction events – can help automated and human-driven vehicles operate more safely and efficiently, benefiting both travelers and roadway workers,” she said.
The WZDx project is part of USDOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Research Program that includes the testing of intelligent infrastructure systems; a program that encourages the development, collection and distribution of work zone information on dynamic road conditions.
Approximately 12 grants up to $200,000 each are expected to be awarded to support state and local agencies in implementing open work zone data feeds, FHWA added.
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