Transformation

SMART METRO

On September 15, 2024, the Broward MPO executed a $2 million Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grant with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research & Technology to develop an innovative AI-enabled geospatial analysis platform, SMART METRO.

The Broward MPO and the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) hosted the Revolutionizing Transportation Planning: A Hands-On AI Workshop on Monday, September 23, 2024, in Salt Lake City, partnering with 15 representatives from MPOs around the country. The half-day session invited these experts to provide input as we develop SMART METRO.  

Last year, AMPO issued a survey to understand how MPOs perceive AI. Respondents shared concerns but simultaneously recognize a need for innovative solutions. Five years ago, faced with an increasingly complex planning landscape, the Broward MPO began researching this subject and piloting some of the most advanced analytics technologies. With support from the USDOT grant, where AMPO is listed as a partner organization, we will develop and implement SMART METRO.  

We organized the workshop in three acts, each with a critical theme for platform implementation: Data Collaboration, Scenario Planning, and Regional Governance. Bill Keyrouze, AMPO’s Executive Director, started the first act while Andrew Riddle, the Broward MPO’s Community Planning Manager, gave an overview of progress to date. Participants viewed live demonstrations of data management, analytics, and simulation technologies. In the second act, Dr. Stefaan Verhulst of the GovLab presented on data governance and stewardship, without which a successful program could not be launched. Referencing a range of industries, Dr. Verhulst shared case studies and best practices on how to achieve efficient, equitable, and transparent data management. The final act of the workshop focused on SMART METRO’s operating framework. Participants broke into groups to discuss key technology, governance, and operating decisions that the Broward MPO still must make. The workshop ended with a networking lunch where participants continued to ask questions and committed to further engagement as SMART METRO advances.  