Thompson Announces $2.5 Million Federal Grant for Penn State-Led Transportation Consortium
Penn State to lead group of Mid-Atlantic universities in multi-modal transportation research program
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT' Thompson today announced that the Pennsylvania State University has been awarded more than $2.5 million to spearhead a multi-university transportation research program.
The Mid-Atlantic Center for Integrated Asset Management for Multi-Modal Transportation Infrastructure Systems (CIAMTIS) is a consortium of seven universities based in the Mid-Atlantic region, including: Penn State Altoona, Lehigh University, George Mason University, Morgan State University, University of Delaware, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia University. The grant is through the U.S. Department of Transportation's 2017 Region 3 University Transportation Centers Program. The total award is $2,570,600.
"I am proud of Penn State University for leading this outstanding consortium of universities in this transportation study," Rep. Thompson said. "Transportation touches the lives of every American, and the research from these seven universities will examine various aspects of the transportation industry – from technology to safety and management to education. I have no doubt that this study will provide students at these universities with the tools they need to become the next generation of transportation leaders."
The program theme is "Improving the Durability and Extending the Life of Transportation Infrastructure," and it emphasizes all five of USDOT's strategic goals: safety, state of good repair, economic competitiveness, livable communities, and environmental sustainability. The study will support multiple modes of transportation including highways, rail, transit, air, maritime, and inter-modal transportation, with emphasis on highways and rail. Members of the consortium will pursue research, education, and technology transfer activities in the following three areas:
- Application of innovative materials and technologies
- Condition assessment and health monitoring
- Infrastructure management and innovative financing