Michigan, National Park Service to test mobility tech in local national parks
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State agencies will work with NPS on projects to relieve traffic congestion and improve environmental sustainability, visitor access or safety.
Michigan will be partnering with the National Park Service (NPS) to pilot emerging mobility technologies in the five national parks located in the state.
An April 19 announcement detailed how several Michigan agencies will work with NPS to develop innovative mobility projects that can relieve traffic congestion and improve environmental sustainability, visitor access or safety. The partners will also identify potential electric vehicle charging infrastructure projects and share information and best practices on innovative mobility and electrification initiatives related to public lands visitation and tourism.
In January 2020, Michigan responded to an NPS request for information on emerging mobility/automated shuttles. For the past two years, the NPS has been working with Michigan officials on sharing information on emerging mobility initiatives such as micromobility, ride hailing, traveler information technologies, automated driving systems and electric vehicle charging, according to the memorandum of understanding.
The state partners include the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, part of the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Labor and Economic Development and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification.
“Michigan put the world on wheels and transformed how people live, work and recreate right here in Detroit and today, we are excited to build on that legacy to once again be at the forefront of creating a more equitable, accessible and sustainable mobility future,” said Trevor Pawl, chief mobility officer with the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. “We are proud to bring together this first-of-its-kind partnership with the National Park Service to help drive innovation, travel and strong mobility future for Michigan’s residents and visitors alike.”
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