News
News

Reports: Austin, other cities lose to Columbus in DOT Smart City Challenge

ajc.com
By Omar L. Gallaga
June 21, 2016

Columbus, Ohio, is the winner of the $50 million U.S. Department of Transportation Smart City Challenge, according to multiple reports.

$40 million are to come from the government, and another $10 million from Paul Allen-backed Vulcan.

Austin was in the running, along with San Francisco, Portland, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Denver. For Columbus, local businesses pledged to supplement the funds, bringing the total to about $90 million.

The Columbus pitch included a driverless vehicle test fleet as a means to create new jobs, a transit pass payment system and more transportation  access for poor neighborhoods.

You can see the Columbus video pitch below:

About the Author

Omar L. Gallaga
More Stories

Keep Reading

Ernie Suggs, a reporter at the AJC since 1997, reviews a selection of articles he has contributed to during his time with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Clapping out the paper: A farewell to ink, deadlines and the print AJC

Beginning on Jan. 1, this 157-year-old institution will become a fully digital news operation. No more paper. No more ink-stained fingers. No more paper in your driveway.

DeKalb ambulance provider to receive $77 million contract despite struggles

County officials say ambulance provider AMR has made progress on response times and that the new subsidy should help.

VETERANS DAY

Georgia’s Woman Veteran of the Year beat cancer. Now she helps others.

Georgia Woman Veteran of the Year Raquel Durden survived advanced cancer. Now she helps other female military veterans through her Humble Warrior nonprofit.

The Latest

The video was reposted to U.S. Rep. Mike Collins' campaign account on X (left).

Credit: (Handout and screen grabs)

A.M. ATL: I spy AI

A.M. ATL: Just a TAD

A.M. ATL: Schools and screens

Featured

University of Georgia students are seen entering and leaving the main Library on the Athens campus on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

UGA to pay $100K H-1B visa fee only ‘in exceptional circumstances’

The University of Georgia could soon limit the number of foreign workers it employs, a result of the $100,000 fee imposed on some H-1B visas.

1h ago

Georgia judges deal blow to ICE’s new mandatory detention policy

The ruling is a first-of-its-kind to come out of Georgia’s Middle District.

At the Cobb jail, a new kind of rehabilitation starts at the horse barn

Joshua Arp is one of two Cobb County jail detainees taking part of the sheriff’s office new equine therapy program meant to help him stay out of jail.