HOUGHTON--Meeting the challenges of its' record $1 billion road and bridge program, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is establishing a Transportation Materials Research Center at Michigan Technological University (MTU), Governor Engler Announced today.
"We want Michigan to be the transportation leader in the 21st Century," said Engler. "With the successful Build Michigan II program and increased revenue from the new federal transportation bill (TEA 21), this research will give us the most bang for the buck on Michigan's roads."
The Transportation Materials Research Center will help maximize Michigan's transportation investment by focusing on improving the performance of the construction materials used in the state's highways. This initiative is part of MDOT's continuing effort to improve the quality and safety of the state transportation system.
Transportation Materials Research Center research will include developing screening and testing procedures to help ensure high quality materials are used in highway construction, working to identify and fix existing problems as they relate to poorly performing materials, characterizing the performance of construction materials and acceptance testing of new materials.
"We will leave no stone unturned to provide Michigan motorists with the best roads in the nation," said State Transportation Director James DeSana. "Our partnership with Michigan Technological University will allow the best minds in both organizations to bring exciting new methods to extend the life and performance of Michigan's roads."
Material engineering is a campus-wide area of expertise at MTU. The work of this center will be spearheaded by Associate Professor George Dewey, Ph.D., P.E., Executive Director of the MTU Transportation Center.