BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded a total of $3,000,000 to North Dakota State University’s (NDSU) Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute to continue operating the Region 8 University Transportation Center (UTC). This funding was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The Center focuses on maintaining the extensive public infrastructure system of Region 8, which encompasses 410,387 miles of public road and 30,318 highway bridges. This grant will help the Center with resources to research and advance innovative solutions to enhance our region’s transportation infrastructure. NDSU has served as the lead university for the Region 8 UTC since 1987, when the program was first created.
“Congratulations to NDSU and the Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability for its selection as the Region 8 University Transportation Center. I spoke with Secretary Buttigieg in October about the valuable research done at NDSU and the role they play in our state and region, representing the needs of rural America,” said Senator Cramer. “I am grateful to see the Department of Transportation recognize their work with this award.”
In September, Senator Cramer led the North Dakota congressional delegation in a letter supporting NDSU’s application to the UTC program and worked to secure its approval by the U.S. DOT. Additionally, he spoke with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in October about the importance of NDSU’s work, which is essential for making the most of investments in our state and region’s transportation infrastructure.