Beatty Joins Senator Brown, Transportation Secretary Foxx and Mayor Ginther to Discuss Smart City Challenge

Press Release

U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03), alongside U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (OH) and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, held a joint meeting to discuss the City of Columbus' Smart City Challenge application with Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx. The Smart City Challenge, established in December 2015, is a nationwide competition designed to help one city develop a fully-integrated transportation network using data and technology to connect communities and move people and goods more efficiently.

"Columbus is a one-of-a-kind city that is best positioned to be home to our country's most technologically-advanced transportation system," Beatty said. "That is why I am proud to support the Columbus' Smart City application, and will continue to work closely with Senator Brown, Mayor Ginther and others to ensure that the City takes home the grand prize."

The City of Columbus partnered with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), Experience Columbus, and Columbus 2020 to submit a DOT Smart City Challenge application earlier this year.

Additional partners, including The Ohio State University, IBM and Clean Fuels Ohio, among others, will assist the City to make its Smart City vision a reality.Additional Smart City Challenge finalists are Austin, Denver, Kansas City, MO, Pittsburgh, Portland, OR, and San Francisco. Each finalist received $100,000 to develop a final Smart City proposal, due by the end of this month. In addition to the $40 million award, the winning city will receive technical support from a host of private sector partners and will receive an additional $10 million from Vulcan Inc. to incorporate electric vehicle infrastructure.

Prior to yesterday's meeting with Secretary Foxx, Beatty sent a letter, joined by Congressman Steve Stivers (OH-15) and Congressman Pat Tiberi (OH-12), to the Secretary in support of Columbus' Smart City Challenge application.

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