Youngstown awarded $10.8 million grant for self driving shuttles - WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren Ohio

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and U.S. Congressman Tim Ryan have announced that The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $10,853,192 million to the Eastgate Regional Council of Government for Youngstown's SMART2 corridor project to redevelop critical transportation infrastructure. 

These funds are a part of the Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants program, formerly known as the Transportation Investing Generating Economic Recover (TIGER) program. 

The investment will go towards the purchase of transit shuttles and systems, pedestrians, bicycle facilities and energy efficient technology upgrades that will help provide reliable transportation between Youngstown State University, Mercy Health, the Youngstown Business Incubator, and Eastern Gateway Community College. 

Brown said that this project will "reinvigorate" downtown Youngstown and beyond. "I'm proud to support the local and regional partners who have brought this transformative project together. I look forward to seeing the SMART2 Corridor serve the region's residents, visitors, and businesses," said Brown. 

According to Ryan and Youngstown State University, this project will support more than $250 million in economic development over the next decade by connecting all of the major downtown economic players with a central transportation hub. 

Last year, Brown and Ryan supported investment in the Youngstown's SMART2 Corridor project. Brown also met with YSU's President Jim Tressel to discuss improvements. 

Officials say that the project is set to begin in 2020.