Fund Hi-Tech Auto Research: ITS America

Burney Simpson

Transportation industry advocate ITS America called on Congress for greater funding of “research and deployment” of next generation transportation technologies as Capitol Hill came closer to passing a multi-year surface transportation reauthorization bill.

The trade group supports funding of more than $100 million for intelligent transportation systems research and $75 million for the Advanced Transportation & Congestion Management Technology Deployment grant program, according to a letter from ITS America President and CEO Regina Hopper to the leaders of the US Senate and House committees directly involved with transportation funding.

Hopper also asked for funding for the installation of Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication equipment for US Department of Transportation programs addressing safety, congestion and emissions.

The US House passed a six-year $325 billion proposal, while a Senate version has funding for only three years. That means a conference committee must forge a compromise bill that could pass both chambers, according to The Washington Post. Neither proposal would raise the federal gas tax, last increased over 20 years ago.

House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican, told the Post he would like a compromise ready by Nov. 30 so it could be voted on before a December 5 deadline. The Thanksgiving Holiday could impact this goal. Capitol Hill has already blown through a number of deadlines and extensions set for approving the legislation.

North Dakota Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer said it was a “major accomplishment” that the House and Senate have come this close to passing a bill.

Speaking at an ITS America sponsored lunch, Cramer said he would like a long-term funding source for the federal system so the transportation industry could get on with its business. He noted that North Dakota has “a lot more roads than people” and that “we transport more from us than to us.”

Cramer is a member of the House Commerce Committee Subcommitee on Communications and Technology that is involved with proposals looking at DSRC communications and the 5.9 GHz spectrum that is now devoted to transportation safety. Some claim the technology is available to allow sharing of portions of the spectrum for consumer Wi-Fi use.

Cramer suggested it’s too early to take that step. “Let’s do the research. If we have good data, then maybe we have X amount available,” he said.