INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — State Sens. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) and Brandt Hershman (R-Wheatfield) yesterday (July 9) announced that Purdue University is a recipient of a $2,085,000 grant to help find ways to improve the nation’s transportation system.
Hershman said Purdue is only one of 10 universities across the country selected competitively by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). The monies are the third installment from USDOT and all federal dollars must be matched by non-federal contributions.
The NEXTRANS Center is the USDOT Region V Regional University Transportation Center, and covers the states of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Center was established in 2007 based on an award from USDOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) to conduct a multidisciplinary program of transportation research, education, and technology transfer through a Regional University Transportation Center headquartered at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
“These grant monies will help Purdue continue to serve as leaders in meeting the nation’s need for safe, efficient and environmentally-sound transportation systems,” Hershman said. “The university’s NEXTRANS center will apply cutting-edge technology to find infrastructure efficiencies and ultimately, help make our roads safer.”
NEXTRANS was established in 2007 – based on an award from USDOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration – in order to implement a multidisciplinary program of transportation research, education and technology.
Alting said NEXTRANS has worked to improve traffic flow in congested intersections, calculate work zone delays, reduce emergency vehicle crashes, determine which materials create the shortest braking distances and improve railroad track inspections.
“Purdue has made significant strides in providing a program that shows great relevance to our nation’s transportation challenges,” Alting said. “Sharing knowledge and resources to disseminate best practices about transportation issues is an investment that could help save lives.”
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