The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) and the City of Las Vegas received a $5.3 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for the Las Vegas Medical District Automated Circulator and Pedestrian Safety Project, or GoMed, which will connect downtown Las Vegas with the Las Vegas Medical District via four autonomous shuttles.

GoMed, slated to begin service late next year, will demonstrate the ability to apply automated technology in a complex urban setting. The groundbreaking project will feature four autonomous shuttles that will circulate between downtown and the fast growing medical district, comprised of 684 acres of medical facilities that serve nearly 200,000 patients, annually, and will employ about 6,000 individuals by 2020. The district includes four hospitals and the new University of Nevada-Las Vegas School of Medicine campus. The project will also include 23 smart transit shelters upgraded to provide Wi-Fi, information on shuttle arrival times and occupancy, and dynamic wayfinding kiosks.

“This forward-thinking grant will further our collaborative efforts to support and develop innovative technologies that enhance safety, mobility, and the quality of life for our residents,” said RTC GM Tina Quigley.

GoMed will enhance safety, particularly for the elderly and persons with disabilities, through the deployment, operation, and analysis of innovative pedestrian safety technologies that connect traffic signals, drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. The project will also produce useful information including alerts about activity at signalized and non-signalized crossings through dashboard analytics, smart phone technology, and/or actual hardware at the intersection.

The project comes on the heels of the successful autonomous shuttle that operated on a one-mile loop in downtown Las Vegas from November 2017 to November 2018, which transported more than 32,000 individuals on nearly 5,000 trips. The RTC and City of Las Vegas partnered on that endeavor with Keolis North America and AAA.