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Pavement Research Institute established

February 2003
From the CTS Report

Crumbling, bumpy roadways. Long traffic backups at construction work zones. And tight transportation budgets. Both locally and nationally, these are common problems crying out for a strong and coordinated investment in pavement research—research that will develop new materials and designs to help pavements last longer, require fewer repairs, and cost less.

To maximize the investment of Minnesota's resources, the University of Minnesota's Department of Civil Engineering (CE) and Center for Transportation Studies (CTS), along with two partners—the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) Office of Materials and Road Research and the Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB)—have created a Pavement Research Institute. The new institute will leverage the organizations' existing strengths, allow flexibility to respond to research initiatives at the national level, and continue to produce knowledgeable graduates and professionals. "In addition, this new structure will vastly improve our ability to pursue national funding," says John Gulliver, CE department head.

The partners believe that pavement research will be strengthened by pooling the expertise and resources of the organizations that have a deep stake in producing and applying research. "The Institute will strengthen the relationships among faculty, Mn/DOT, and the LRRB, thus ensuring a strong and continuous pavement research effort," says Robert Johns, CTS director. "The Pavement Research Institute will bring together multidisciplinary, collaborative research teams to attract federal and other funds available to academic programs and state agencies," he adds.

Signing the memorandum of understanding that created the Institute were Gulliver and Johns; Patrick Hughes, director, Office of Materials and Road Research, Mn/DOT; Thomas Colbert, chair, LRRB; and Douglas Weiszhaar, then-acting commissioner, Mn/DOT.

Mn/DOT's Office of Materials and Road Research and the LRRB, as sponsors, have each committed funding for a five-year period to support the development of the Pavement Research Institute. As the first step in launching the institute, the University has begun a national search for an institute director.