KINGMAN – The City of Kingman proudly announces that Bernalillo County, New Mexico, has been awarded a $1.94 million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program. This funding will support the development of the I-40 TradePort Corridor Intelligent Data Platform, a project poised to transform transportation infrastructure across California, Arizona, and New Mico.
The I-40 TradePort Corridor is a coalition initiative that brings together Bernalillo County, Sandoval County, the Village of Los Lunas, GLDPartners, the City of Winslow, the City of Kingman, and the West Coast ports. “This is amazing news for the City of Kingman and the entire coalition,” stated Kingman Mayor Ken Watkins. “The I-40 TradePort Corridor Project is more than just a transportation initiative; it’s a blueprint for future economic opportunity and is already generating significant interest in the Kingman area.”
The corridor project is an ambitious initiative designed to create the world’s cleanest and most efficient logistics system. Spanning 805 miles from the Port of Los Angeles to Albuquerque, the corridor integrates ocean, road, rail, and air cargo movement into a seamless quadrimodal logistics network. The project’s objectives include enhancing supply chain resiliency, increasing global competitiveness, and improving environmental conditions across California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
As the fiscal agent for the grant, Bernalillo County will oversee the implementation of Stage 1, focusing on the creation of an intelligent data platform. This platform will form the foundation for a fully operational digital twin in Stage 2, allowing for real-time monitoring of truck movements, continuous simulation of infrastructure and environmental conditions, and precise planning to reduce development timelines significantly.
“The I-40 TradePort Corridor continues to gain momentum,” said Kingman Economic Development Director Bennett Bratley. “The intelligent data component will be a vital component as it relates to route optimization and operational efficiencies for trucking along the corridor. This is one more step closer to what will be a rapid economic expansion of manufacturing, transportation, and distribution firms into the Kingman market
“This SMART grant represents a significant step forward in our efforts to revolutionize transportation infrastructure along the I-40 corridor,” said Marcos Gonzales, BernCo Executive Development Officer. “By developing an intelligent data platform, we are laying the groundwork for a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient logistics network that will benefit our community and the broader region.”
The SMART Grants Program provides $500 million over five years to empower state, local, and tribal governments to leverage technology for safer, more efficient, and innovative transportation systems. This award is part of over $130 million allocated by the U.S. Department of Transportation for 42 technology demonstration projects nationwide.
