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Browse by ProgramsUGPTI's program areas focus on specific transportation issues, but united within the Institute, they share expertise, staff and other resources to form an overall program with the flexibility to address emerging challenges and opportunities.
- Advanced Traffic Analysis Center (ATAC) collects and analyzes traffic data to support decision makers who plan, operate, and fund transportation systems at the local, regional, and state level. Primary areas of work include intelligent transportation systems, traffic operations, and metropolitan transportation planning and travel demand modeling.
- Center for Surface Mobility Applications and Real-time Simulation environments (SMARTSe) applies advancements in sensing, wireless communications, mobile computing, data science, and cybersecurity to advance multimodal and intermodal transportation system efficiencies, responsiveness, reliability, sustainability, safety, and security.
- Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability (CTIPS) is integrating advanced sensing technologies and automation in data collection and analysis to revolutionize the preservation of existing transportation systems. Research also address systemic equity issues in the region, especially those stemming from the relatively poor quality of Tribal and rural roads.
- Commercial Vehicle Safety Center (CVSC) is a point of contact for universities, law enforcement, and driver licensing agencies looking to establish partnerships to improve commercial vehicle safety. CVSC sponsors webinars and provides resources in addition to conducting research and analysis. Research focuses on analyses intended to identify unsafe commercial vehicles, drivers, and companies, as well as streamlined methods to provide this information to state and federal safety enforcement specialists.
- DOT Support Center (DOTSC) provides engineering design assistance and transportation information technology support to transportation managers to ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. Undergraduate engineering students in the center work under the direction of DOT engineers to prepare plans, estimates, and studies for real world projects. Computer science students provide IT support and assist staff in the development of applications such as a local road surface selection tool, the online ND Truck Weight Calculator, and the Geographic Roadway Inventory Tool (GRIT).
- Mountain-Plains Consortium (MPC) conducts research, education, and technology transfer related to transportation challenges and opportunities in the Upper Great Plains and Intermountain West. NDSU, via UGPTI, is the lead university in this eight-university consortium. MPC is a competitively selected University Transportation Center sponsored by the USDOT.
- North Dakota Local Technical Assistance Program (NDLTAP) fosters safe, efficient, environmentally sound and cost effective highway, road, and street systems by exchanging technology with local units of government and the transportation community through training, technical assistance, and information services. Key areas for hands-on, online, and distance training include safety, gravel road management, construction topics, rural road maintenance, and asset management.
- Northern Tribal Technical Assistance Program (Northern TTAP) provides transportation outreach and technical assistance to tribes across the Upper Great Plains and Intermountain West. The program works with American Indian tribal governments to build tribal capacity in program management, grow the tribal workforce, cultivate and coordinate partnerships, facilitate technology transfer and the implementation of innovations, and share results of similar initiatives across the country. The program is a collaboration funded by FHWA, led by the UGPTI, and includes the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University, as well as South Dakota State University, and the University of Wyoming.
- Rural Transportation Safety and Security Center (RTSSC) promotes and enhances the region's transportation safety and security through research, education, and outreach. Staff members conduct safety analyses to evaluate and guide local, state, and federal initiatives. RTSSC's research tracks trends in road safety factors, such as impaired drivers, youthful drivers, and occupant protection.
- Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility (SURCOM) increases the mobility of small urban and rural residents in the United States and abroad through innovative research, education, training, and outreach. Key areas for training include leadership and management. Recent research has focused on mobility for those aging in place, estimating demand for intercity bus services, bike share impacts on transit, and mobility needs in rural communities.
- Transportation Learning Network (TLN) supports safe and efficient transportation through a network of people and technology that serves members by enhancing communication, workforce development, education, professional development, technology transfer, and research. TLN initiatives focus on assuring that DOT employees and others in the transportation workforce are prepared to implement new technology, work safer, and complete technical tasks accurately and efficiently. TLN is a collaborative effort of MPC universities and participating DOTs.
UGPTI Focus Areas
- Agricultural freight movements of bulk commodities, production inputs, and processed products are critical to the economic vitality of North Dakota and the surrounding region. UGPTI conducts economic inquiry, marketing studies, and policy analysis to improve the competitiveness of the region's producers and businesses.
- Rural traffic analysis involves the use of detailed rural travel demand models to forecast traffic volumes on North Dakota's road network, helping estimate the impact to state, county, and local roads due to energy development, changing agricultural production and marketing practices, and other factors that influence transportation patterns.
- Transportation Funding Program will coordinate the work of assisting single and multiple townships to advance an integrated local transportation system through leveraged funding to advance and improve the movement of agriculture, energy, and commerce throughout the state. A major part of the effort is to seek grants in partnership with the ND Department of Transportation to match a $10 million appropriation by the ND Legislature.
- Transportation Infrastructure and Safety research focuses on preserving and better utilizing the existing transportation infrastructure. A focal point is traffic and infrastructure condition monitoring via improved low-cost sensor technologies. Additional work focuses on providing a decision support system for preserving and improving infrastructure by advancing predictive modeling performance via advanced statistical modeling or machine-learning/deep-learning techniques. Potential applications include enhancing safety at highway-rail grade crossings and improving safety related to other elements of road and railroad infrastructure.
- Transportation Data Intelligence Lab researchers will receive, process, and analyze data from field sensors, cameras, and many other sources, enabling UGPTI to perform advanced data analytics, develop artificial intelligence solutions and tools, contribute timely transportation information to travelers and transportation management centers, train students, and facilitate future research all to support the vision of safe and efficient movement of people and goods.
- Tribal Outreach focuses on improving safe transportation of people and goods on tribal reservations to enhance livability, community, and cultural values through increased accessibility to employment, workforce development opportunities, education, healthcare, and housing.
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