19 Jul
Congratulations to Columbus! It wasn’t the largest city competing in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge. It didn’t have the largest technology hub or the most tech workers. But, ultimately, Ohio’s capital city had the best plan for using innovative transportation technology to create a “smart” transportation system. It beat out six other finalists: San Francisco, Austin, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Missouri, and Portland, Oregon.
“We’re on the cusp of a transportation revolution,” said Anthony Foxx, the secretary of the Department of Transportation. “Columbus put forward an impressive holistic vision for how technology can help all its residents.”
Columbus will have $140 million in funding to create a living laboratory for self-driving technology, connected vehicles, electronic vehicle battery research and more. The city raised $90 million from private partners in addition to the $40 million DoT prize. Vulcan Inc., a company founded by Microsoft cofounder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen, will supply another $10 million.
“Our collaboration between public, private, and nonprofit sectors is the perfect example of how we lift up our residents and connect all communities,” said Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther. “Smart Columbus will deliver an unprecedented multimodal transportation system that will not only benefit the people of central Ohio, but potentially all mid-sized cities.
As one of the oldest moving companies in Ohio, Herlihy Moving & Storage has more than 90 years of experience in helping families and businesses move to new locations. We’re excited to see what the future brings as the city implements its Smart Columbus plan.
