Federal Program To Award $450 Million to University Transportation Centers

The program will fund research on mobility, congestion, safety, and other crucial transportation issues.

1 minute read

June 7, 2022, 12:00 PM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


A press release from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) outlines a program that will provide $450 million in grant funding to up to 35 University Transportation Centers (UTC).

Dr. Robert C. Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, said “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 program, open to U.S. non-profit educational institutions, includes several focus areas:

  • Improving Mobility of People and Goods;  
  • Reducing Congestion;  
  • Promoting Safety;  
  • Improving the Durability and Extending the Life of Transportation Infrastructure,
  • Preserving the Environment;  
  • Preserving the Existing Transportation System; and,
  • Reducing Transportation Cybersecurity Risks.

According to the press release, “Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), DOT intends to select up to five National UTCs, 10 Regional UTCs, and up to 20 Tier 1 UTCs, each of which will conduct a combination of research, education, workforce development, and technology transfer and implementation activities.”

Thursday, May 26, 2022 in U.S. Department Of Transportation

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight