The recently announced $450 million in U.S. Department of Transportation funding for up to 35 University Transportation Centers will spur transportation research.
DOT is accepting applications from universities in the UTC program for the funds, expected to be disbursed through 2026 to five national, 10 regional and up to 20 Tier 1 UTCs, according to a May 26 DOT news release.
"DOT's multimodal UTC program is the bedrock of our innovative, transformative and cohesive transportation future," Research and Technology Deputy Assistant Secretary Robert C. Hampshire said in the news release. "These investments will lead to cutting edge transportation research, train a diverse next generation of transportation professionals and ultimately help the American people get to where they need to go much more quickly and affordably."
The UTC funding is coming out of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to the release.
Eligible universities applying for the funds must meet certain criteria, including non-profit institution of higher education status and have a focus area on the program's stated research priorities. Those research priorities include improving mobility of people and goods, promoting transportation safety, reducing congestion, improving the durability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure, environmental preservations and transportation cybersecurity risk reduction, the release reported.
U.S. non-profit institutions of higher education or members of a proposed UTC consortium are eligible. Higher education institutions eligible for the funding may include qualifying two-year institutions. Historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions are highly encouraged to apply, the news release said.
