7 'Smart Cities Challenge' Finalists Announced

The U.S Department of Transportation's Smart Cities Challenge will provide funding for seven finalists to further develop proposals to develop high-tech transportation solutions.

2 minute read

March 14, 2016, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Nighttime Traffic

badahos / Shutterstock

Alissa Walker reports on the announcement of seven finalists in the U.S. Department of Transportation's "Smart Cities Challenge." The seven finalists announced over the weekend "will receive $100,000 each and work closely with the USDOT and a group of partners to streamline their proposals," according to Walker. Eventually, one city will receive up to $40 million to fund their strategy from the U.S. DOT, and an additional $10 million from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's company Vulcan. Walker's article includes more background on the competition so far, as well as next steps for the finalists.

U.S. DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the following competition finalists:

  • Austin, Texas
  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Kansas City, Missouri
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Portland, Oregon
  • San Francisco, California

The announcement took place at the South By Southwest Interactive festival taking place in Austin. The festival and the news about the competition attracted news about the finalists from other publications. Tim Stevens reports for CNET on the finalists. Tom Knox reports for the Columbus Business Journal on the details of the proposals that got Columbus into the final group. Austin Mayor Mayor Steve Adler also sent a press release celebrating his city's inclusion among the finalists.

Just a month ago, the U.S. DOT was spreading news about the large response to the competition, after 77 cities submitted competition proposals. The large number of submissions compelled the U.S. DOT to announce seven finalists—two more than the originally intended five finalists.

Saturday, March 12, 2016 in Gizmodo

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

1 hour ago - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Front of Walmart store with sign.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network

The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

May 7, 2025 - Inc.

Public Market sign over Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington with pop-up booths on street.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market Leans Into Pedestrian Infrastructure

After decades of debate, the market is testing a car ban in one of its busiest areas and adding walking links to the surrounding neighborhood.

45 minutes ago - Cascade PBS

Yellow and silver light rain train in downtown Long Beach, California.

The World’s Longest Light Rail Line is in… Los Angeles?

In a city not known for its public transit, the 48.5-mile A Line is the longest of its kind on the planet.

2 hours ago - Secret Los Angeles

Man reaching for young girl sliding down playground slide.

Quantifying Social Infrastructure

New developments have clear rules for ensuring surrounding roads, water, and sewers can handle new users. Why not do the same for community amenities?

3 hours ago - Happy Cities