Earlier today, Representative Carlos Curbelo (FL-26) and a bipartisan group of South Florida members requested the Department of Transportation (DOT) approve Florida International University's grant application for their Accessible Transportation Research Initiative (ATTRI).

"This application would provide people with cognitive disabilities, adults with limited technology experience, individuals with poor vision or hearing, and those living with mobility impairments a personalized directional guide based on their individual needs," the members wrote. "With videos of proposed routes and descriptions of landmarks to simplify travel, TerraFly would allow users to utilize different accessibility options by creating scenarios based on the user’s specifications.

"With partners at the National Science Foundation, this advanced traffic management package is being developed by FIU’s High Performance Database Research Center (HPDRC)," the members added. "Terrafly would enhance the overall goal of providing users and service providers the opportunity to manage transit more effectively."

Curbelo has advocated successfully for FIU research grants in the past, including a $1.4 million grant that was approved to research and strengthen bridges infrastructure last year.

The letter was also signed by Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24).

Read the text of the letter below and view a signed PDF here.

January 9, 2017

The Honorable Anthony R. Foxx
Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, D.C. 20590

Re: Letter of Support for Florida International University’s Accessible Transportation Research Initiative (ATTRI) Application

Dear Secretary Foxx:

As Members of Congress representing South Florida, we write to bring to your attention the application of Florida International University (FIU) for a grant through the Department of Transportation’s Accessible Transportation Technology Research Initiative (ATTRI). The proposal, titled the “TerraFly MobilityConcierge,” is a pre-trip visualization program designed to help users plan their travel more effectively.

This application would provide people with cognitive disabilities, adults with limited technology experience, individuals with poor vision or hearing, and those living with mobility impairments with a personalized directional guide based on their individual needs. With videos of proposed routes and descriptions of landmarks to simplify travel, TerraFly would allow users to utilize different accessibility options by creating scenarios based on the user’s specifications.

The proposal builds on the development of the Informed Traveler Program & Applications (ITPA) software funded by the Fiscal Year 2013 TIGER Discretionary Grant for the UniversityCity Prosperity Project. With partners at the National Science Foundation, this advanced traffic management package is being developed by FIU’s High Performance Database Research Center (HPDRC). Terrafly would enhance the overall goal of providing users and service providers the opportunity to manage transit more effectively.

Again, we appreciate your full and fair consideration, consistent with applicable law and regulations, of Florida International University’s Accessible Transportation Technology Research Initiative (ATTRI). Please do not hesitate to contact Kaitlyn Lane in my D.C. office at (202) 225-7931 should you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Frederica Wilson
Carlos Curbelo