Pennsylvania Senators Announce Support for DOT’s SMART Initiative, Investments in PA Air Traffic Control Systems

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following the announcement from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to bring the newest technologies and infrastructure to America's airports through the new Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) initiative, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA) announce their support and highlight what this and other recent aviation investments mean for Pennsylvania.

SMART centralizes 200 data streams, including weather patterns, flight paths, traffic flow, and controller staffing metrics into one platform. It then synthesizes this data to provide a comprehensive visualization of where planes are going, how much traffic the system can handle, and where congestion or weather could cause challenges.

"I had the opportunity to tour the SMART Lab and see real-time data firsthand with Secretary Duffy and Administrator Bedford last week. They are transforming commercial flying from reactive to predictive," said Senator Fetterman. "I recognize how beneficial this tool and other investments will be for all our air traffic controllers and everyone who flies into and out of the Commonwealth. This is a great initiative and I look forward to working with Senator McCormick and the administration on this."

"Modernizing our air traffic control system is critical to keeping Pennsylvanians safe and our airports competitive," said Senator McCormick. "The SMART initiative, along with $284 million from the Working Families Tax Cut to upgrade air traffic control infrastructure across Pennsylvania, will give our controllers better technology and make air travel safer and more reliable. I'm proud to work with Senator Fetterman and Secretary Duffy to deliver these investments for Pennsylvania."

Through its Brand New Air Traffic Control System project, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also investing $284 million in Pennsylvania's air traffic control towers and related infrastructure, including:

• 1,059 new radios at 101 sites
• High-speed fiber connections at Philadelphia (PHL), Pittsburgh (PIT), and Harrisburg (MDT)
• New internet protocol voice switches at 12 locations, including Williamsport (IPT) and Erie (ERI)
• New controller information display systems at 9 airports
• Electronic flight strips at PHL and PIT
• 19 new radars at 11 locations
• Surface movement radars at PHL and PIT
• Installation of Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) capabilities to improve runway safety at 6 airports
• Tower simulation systems at Wilkes-Barre (AVP), MDT, and ERI

The FAA's work on these infrastructure improvements is ongoing and is expected to be completed by 2028.