News
House Transportation Subcommittee Earmarks $750,000 for Intelligent
The Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee of the U.S. House of
Representatives has designated $750,000 in federal funds for
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) research and laboratory at
PSU.
The funding is essential to PSU's transportation research initiatives, which focuses on the priorities of regional and statewide transportation agency partners, strengthening the role that the University plays in addressing those issues. This project was part of the region's transportation agenda developed and approved by Metro's Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT), which reflects the priorities of transportation agency partners such as urban transit and freight, and the integration of livability, health and transportation.
The earmarked funding, which now goes to the House Appropriations Committee, increases research capacity for ITS initiatives at PSU, which has already established numerous partnerships with agencies such as the Oregon Department of Transportation, the City of Portland, TriMet, Metro, the National Science Foundation and others; funds will support construction of expanded facilities for the ITS Lab in PSU's new engineering building, the Northwest Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology.
Faculty at PSU have been engaged in projects and programs related to traffic and transit management, developing new strategies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of regional surface transportation systems, and laying groundwork for future investigations in areas such as freight mobility. Recent projects have included ramp metering analysis, studying the Incident Response Program, and using global positioning satellite (GPS) systems to improve bus transportation.
“This is great news and affirms the contribution that PSU's Transportation Research Center faculty make to the region, the state and the nation,” said PSU President Daniel Bernstine. “This funding reflects the hard work of Congressmen Earl Blumenauer and David Wu and the region's transportation leaders. The ITS lab will be a magnet for students interested in understanding the connection between transportation planning and livability and it will support faculty who are engaged in regionally relevant research focused on transit, automobile, freight and other vitally important transportation issues.”
“I am pleased that the Committee has given its stamp of approval to PSU's plans for ITS research,” said Congressman Earl Blumenauer. “If, as expected, the funding is approved by Congress, it will enable PSU to continue working with the City to stay at the forefront of innovative transportation planning.”
“I am very pleased with the early House support for this important transportation research center,” said Congressman David Wu. “Portland State is an ideally suited to house this center and it will further Oregon's reputation as the leader in intelligent land-use and transportation planning.”
The Intelligent Transportation Systems program at Portland State University, the only one of its kind in the Northwest, conducts research on how intelligent transportation systems can most effectively be deployed in the Portland Metro area and throughout the nation. The federal earmarked funds will go toward matching the $26.5 million in XI-G bonds issued by the state of Oregon for the new engineering building, and will move the University closer to construction of the Northwest Center for Engineering, Science and Technology. The new building is expected to open in 2005, with an entire floor dedicated to intelligent transportation systems research.
The field of intelligent transportation systems uses information technologies — computers, sensors, and telecommunications — to improve highway management and vehicle performance and safety, such as electronic toll collection, truck and transit fleet control systems and electronic variable message signs.
For more information, visit www.its.pdx.edu/newlab.html or contact Robert Bertini, director of the Center for Transportation Studies, at 503-725-4249.
The funding is essential to PSU's transportation research initiatives, which focuses on the priorities of regional and statewide transportation agency partners, strengthening the role that the University plays in addressing those issues. This project was part of the region's transportation agenda developed and approved by Metro's Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT), which reflects the priorities of transportation agency partners such as urban transit and freight, and the integration of livability, health and transportation.
The earmarked funding, which now goes to the House Appropriations Committee, increases research capacity for ITS initiatives at PSU, which has already established numerous partnerships with agencies such as the Oregon Department of Transportation, the City of Portland, TriMet, Metro, the National Science Foundation and others; funds will support construction of expanded facilities for the ITS Lab in PSU's new engineering building, the Northwest Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology.
Faculty at PSU have been engaged in projects and programs related to traffic and transit management, developing new strategies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of regional surface transportation systems, and laying groundwork for future investigations in areas such as freight mobility. Recent projects have included ramp metering analysis, studying the Incident Response Program, and using global positioning satellite (GPS) systems to improve bus transportation.
“This is great news and affirms the contribution that PSU's Transportation Research Center faculty make to the region, the state and the nation,” said PSU President Daniel Bernstine. “This funding reflects the hard work of Congressmen Earl Blumenauer and David Wu and the region's transportation leaders. The ITS lab will be a magnet for students interested in understanding the connection between transportation planning and livability and it will support faculty who are engaged in regionally relevant research focused on transit, automobile, freight and other vitally important transportation issues.”
“I am pleased that the Committee has given its stamp of approval to PSU's plans for ITS research,” said Congressman Earl Blumenauer. “If, as expected, the funding is approved by Congress, it will enable PSU to continue working with the City to stay at the forefront of innovative transportation planning.”
“I am very pleased with the early House support for this important transportation research center,” said Congressman David Wu. “Portland State is an ideally suited to house this center and it will further Oregon's reputation as the leader in intelligent land-use and transportation planning.”
The Intelligent Transportation Systems program at Portland State University, the only one of its kind in the Northwest, conducts research on how intelligent transportation systems can most effectively be deployed in the Portland Metro area and throughout the nation. The federal earmarked funds will go toward matching the $26.5 million in XI-G bonds issued by the state of Oregon for the new engineering building, and will move the University closer to construction of the Northwest Center for Engineering, Science and Technology. The new building is expected to open in 2005, with an entire floor dedicated to intelligent transportation systems research.
The field of intelligent transportation systems uses information technologies — computers, sensors, and telecommunications — to improve highway management and vehicle performance and safety, such as electronic toll collection, truck and transit fleet control systems and electronic variable message signs.
For more information, visit www.its.pdx.edu/newlab.html or contact Robert Bertini, director of the Center for Transportation Studies, at 503-725-4249.
