Issue link: http://uwashington.uberflip.com/i/193116
Research Projects The universities in the PacTrans consortium have invested heavily in safety and environmental sustainability research to address transportation issues in the region and nationally. We have several sought-after data sources accumulated over many years of research that accounts for the users, vehicles, system network, roadway, and environment. We have many researchers across the five universities that are experts in all five of the Strategic Goals highlighted by the US DOT (safety, sustainability, state of good repair, livable communities, and economic competitiveness) whose expertise can complement the PacTrans objectives of safety and sustainability. The current PacTrans project portfolio is composed of projects of small, medium, and large scopes. The small projects are designed to help foster pilot research on new but promising concepts and ideas. The medium and large sized projects are designed to address research issues of regional importance and require two or more institutes to work together. Research proposals are subject to a peer review process that is overseen by the PacTrans Board of Directors. The proposals are evaluated to determine technical merit, alignment with regional and national priorities, capabilities and resources of the research team, and project scope. Upon completion of the research a draft technical report is submitted to PacTrans and is subject to a peer review prior to publication of the final report. During its first year of operation, PacTrans funded a total of 22 research projects. All were new research. PacTrans receives its funding from the USDOT via RITA to operate as the University Transportation Center (UTC) for Federal Region 10. Since UTC funds must be matched by non-federal sources on a 1:1 basis, all PacTrans research projects are required to provide match funds at least equal to the federal dollars allocated by PacTrans. During its second year of operation, PacTrans funded a total of 32 research projects, of which 4 were continuing research projects started in the first year. 6 Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium