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Crapo announces funding for NIATT center

WASHINGTON – The University of Idaho's National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology (NIATT) will receive a $680,000 award from the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to continue its efforts in such areas as biodiesel fuel research and traffic signal control technology, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo announced.

Crapo has been a proponent of NIATT in Congress, and as a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, is working to ensure future funding authorization for the institute in S. 1072, the Highway Reauthorization bill. The funding announced today comes through a FY 2004 appropriation secured by members of the Idaho Congressional Delegation.

"The NIATT at the University of Idaho is a first-rate facility that has been internationally recognized for its unique and important contributions to transportation," Crapo said. "As Congress debates a reauthorization of the nation's transportation bill, importance of this institute and others like it to our transportation system should not be underestimated.

"NIATT's research efforts work to confront and solve important transportation challenges including traffic flow, fuel economy and our nation's dependence on foreign oil. Student designs and research continue to translate into usable solutions and technologies. This funding will help NIATT to continue its important mission."

As part of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), Congress named NIATT as a university-based center of excellence, making the institute eligible to receive University Transportation Center (UTC) Program grants. During ongoing negotiations on the transportation reauthorization bill, Crapo has fought to maintain that designation as well as increase authorization funding for UTCs.

NIATT is dedicated to advancing U.S. technology and expertise in the many disciplines comprising transportation through the mechanisms of education, research and technology transfer. More than 200 University of Idaho students, faculty, and staff from all the departments in the College of Engineering participate in one or more parts of NIATT's program.