Carper, Coons, Blunt Rochester Announce $5 Million for Delaware to Improve Road Safety Through Technology

Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, along with Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) announced a $5 million grant award to Delaware from the Federal Highway Administration’s Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation program. This funding was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), a once-in-a-generation investment to rebuild our nation’s roads, highways and bridges for the future.

The program promotes advanced technologies to improve safety and reduce travel times for drivers and transit riders that can serve as national examples of innovation to improve access to transportation for all communities. Delaware was one of eight states selected to receive funding.

“In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we authorized funding to help states deploy and operate advanced transportation technologies, including technology to improve roadway safety,” said Senator Carper, who as chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, authored the highway portion of the BIL. Now, I’m pleased to see Delawareans benefit from these historic investments. This funding will allow Delaware to embrace technology to help keep drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists safe when they head out on our roads, rain or shine.”

“Improving safety and travel time are big wins for every Delawarean,” said Senator Chris Coons. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, our state will have new access to advanced technology that will keep motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists safe and reduce congestion. I’m particularly glad to see this investment heading to Sussex County where it will mitigate flooding impacts for residents downstate.”

 “As a member of the Regional Leadership Council, where I am helping lead the implementation and communication of historic legislation passed last Congress, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I am proud to join Senators Carper and Coons in announcing this win for Delaware’s roads,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “Today’s announcement of a $5 million grant will help in our efforts to make our roads more resilient, safer and more accessible, all while promoting innovation. I look forward to seeing these improvements’ impact on the First State.”

Nicole Majeski, secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation added, “We are continuing to use technology in innovative ways that will ultimately make our roads safer. This grant allows us to implement a new system that will monitor flooding threats to infrastructure throughout the Delaware Inland Bays Watershed area and provides a new tool to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians at intersections.” 

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) will use this funding primarily in rural Sussex County to predict and manage flooding impacts on transportation systems while proactively developing response plans and engaging with road users and local communities prior to flood events. DelDOT’s project will optimize transportation systems monitoring and operations during flooding and improve the safety of road users with machine vision and connected vehicle technologies to detect vulnerable road users like pedestrians and bicyclists. The program aims to improve transportation system performance and resiliency, reduce traffic congestion and emissions, and promote safety.