Workshop eyes standards for ‘smart’ transportation

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Area engineers and transportation officials want to know how driver-less, “smart” vehicle technology could make roads safer and less congested, and who would be liable in the event of a crash, among other things.

Eastgate Regional Council of Governments on Monday hosted officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation and DriveOhio, the state’s “smart” mobility initiative, as well as engineering firm AECOM, ODOT’s consultant on several such projects statewide, who were seeking public input on developing statewide standards for smart-vehicle implementation.

The workshop was the seventh of eight planned sessions across the state, AECOM representatives said. Transportation officials will review input from the sessions in the coming weeks.

Eastgate’s pending application for $10.8 million in federal infrastructure development dollars describes $26.2 million in transportation improvements to downtown, including the self-driving shuttle circulator along Fifth and Rayen avenues and improvements to portions of Commerce, Federal, Front and Phelps streets, as well as Park Avenue.