HR 3261 Introduced – Smart Signals Grants

Earlier this month Rep. Cardenas (D,CA) introduced HR 3261, the Less Traffic with Smart Stop Lights Act of 2019. The bill would require DOT to establish the Smart Technology Traffic Signals Grant Program. Funding would come from existing DOT grant programs.

Grant Program

The new grant program would provide monies to State, local and Tribal governments to improve the functioning of traffic signal in a way that would {§2(a)}:

• Reduce traffic congestion;

• Improve the safety and effectiveness of roadways;

• Reduce fuel costs for drivers; and

• Reduce air pollution.

The monies would be used to improve traffic signals through the implementation of innovative technology, including {§2(c)}:

• Adaptive signal control technology; and

• Real-time data measurement technology

Funding would come from two existing DOT grant programs; the surface transportation block grant program (23 USC 133) and the congestion mitigation and air quality improvement program (23 USC 149).

Moving Forward

Cardenas is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the two committees to which this bill was assigned for consideration. Rep. Espaillat (D,CA), a cosponsor of the bill is a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the other committee to which the bill was assigned. This means that the bill could be considered by both relevant committees.

There is nothing in the bill that would drive any ideological opposition to its passage. The funding provisions help to overcome the added spending issue, but it will effectively reduce the funding available for grants in the other programs by some undetermined amount.

Commentary

The biggest shortfall in the language in the bill is that it contains no provisions for requiring grantees to address cybersecurity issues with these innovative technology solutions. With that lack of cybersecurity language in mind, I would like to suggest the following two modifications to the language in the bill.

First, I would add a new clause to §2(c) that would specifically allow grants to be used for improving cybersecurity of existing traffic control systems:

(3) defensive measures (as defined in 6 USC 1501) to protect new or existing traffic control systems from cybersecurity threats (as defined in 6 USC 1501).

Second, I would rewrite §2(f) to read:

(f) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible for a grant under the Program, a State, local, or Tribal government entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such form, and containing:

(1) An analysis of the cybersecurity threats (as defined in 6 USC 1501) that would affect the traffic control systems to be funded by the grant being requested;

(2) A description of the defensive measures that would be used to address the potential threats described in (1); and

(3) Any other information as the Secretary determines appropriate.

NOTE: The definitions in §1501 use the control system inclusive definition of ‘information system’.