The University Transportation Research Center, Region 2 (UTRC), based at the City College of New York, has received more than $25 million in new federal and state funding for a number of research projects related to transportation.
The funding includes $5.2 million from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation and $20 million combined from the New York State Dept. of Transportation and New York Metropolitan Transportation Council.
“The award from the federal government is a tremendous vote of confidence not only for us but also for the region we serve,” said Dr. Camille Kamga, the center’s director. “UTRC will promote research that supports the USDOT strategic goals to improve public health and safety, foster livable communities, ensure that transportation assets are maintained in a state of good repair, support the nation's long-term economic competiveness, and work to achieve environmental sustainability.”
Among the projects the grants will support are:
- Studying the impact of transportation systems on the regional dynamics, competitiveness and structural changes of economies
- Developing and evaluating new mechanisms for financing transportation infrastructure and operations
- Promoting freight productivity, efficiency, and sustainability through multi-modal policy, planning and logistics
- Developing infrastructure monitoring systems to enhance infrastructure inspection and management to ensure a state of good repair
- Promoting safe, secure, livable and sustainable communities through quality of life improvements and diverse transportation development.
The center’s research focus under the federal grant will be economic competitiveness. The awards from the New York State Department of Transportation and New York Metropolitan Transportation Council are renewals of existing contracts.
UTRC Region 2 serves New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico. In addition to City College, its participating colleges and universities are: Clarkson University, College of New Jersey, Columbia University, Cornell University, Hofstra University, Manhattan College, New Jersey Institute of Technology, New York Institute of Technology, New York University, Polytechnic Institute of NYU, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rowan University, SUNY Albany, Stevens Institute of Technology, Syracuse University and University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez.
