The U.S. Department of Transportation seeks to fund a climate and transportation research center that advances research to support Administration efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.
Donor Name: Department of Transportation
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/27/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $2,500,000
Grant Duration: up to 36 months
Details:
The climate and transportation research center shall advance the following research and technology goals: (1) support decarbonization of the transportation sector; (2) build resilience of transportation infrastructure, networks, and operations; (3) address adverse climate and environmental impacts related to transportation; and (4) otherwise advance understanding of solutions to the nation’s climate change and transportation challenges.
Priority research and technology development topics with high potential to serve these goals include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Data and tools to reduce trips and to shift trips to climate-friendly vehicles and modes, including shift to electric vehicles, transit, micromobility services, and active transport, combined with integrated transportation and land-use planning, including transitoriented development, such that people are less dependent on personal vehicles and more likely to walk, bike, or use transit.
- Transformative approaches to understanding, predicting, and addressing via technology, design, behavior, and policy interventions, the induced demand and associated greenhouse gas emissions from roadway improvement projects. Methods for better incorporating induced demand into travel demand models. Evidence-based approaches and tools for decision makers for assessing the greenhouse gas emissions effects of transportation investments, policies, and practices.
- Cutting-edge technologies that have the potential to leverage the climate-tech industry to transform the United States to be a world leader in sustainable transportation, such as innovations in data-driven insights, automation, and integrated system-of-systems that significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
- Innovative applications of social and behavioral sciences for transportation demand management and other policy interventions that support lower-carbon consumer transportation choices, mode shift, seamless modal connectivity, and reductions in transportation greenhouse gas emissions overall. Research supporting state and local governments considering policy options to realign consumer incentives and disincentives to encourage lower-carbon consumer choices.
- Innovative use of new and emerging environmental sensors to support the assessment and early detection of pollutants, helping public agencies reduce climate and environmental impacts of transportation and respond to environmental emergencies, and integration of such analyses into policy decisions.
- The development and deployment of methods to assess and reduce the risks to transportation system performance posed by climate change and related natural hazards that are exacerbated by climate change (e.g., extreme heat, pluvial flooding, slope stability concerns, permafrost thaw) Incorporation of nature-based solutions. Research and deployment of innovative resilient infrastructure, networks, and operations, especially in underserved and overburdened communities.
- Innovative adaptation strategies and standards for the new resilient transportation networks that will be needed in vulnerable areas and for climate-driven relocation, such as new passenger rail lines and resilient access for coastal locations (e.g., transition from surface roads to waterways, elevated transportation corridors, alternate road surfaces that are environmentally friendly if damaged and can be rapidly repaired).
- Innovative research on policy solutions to tackle challenges around deployment of transportation decarbonization technologies at the local level, such as research on balancing priorities, recognizing the need for rapid deployment and adoption while centering underserved communities and prioritizing community engagement.
- Research approaches for substantially lowering the levels of embodied greenhouse gas emissions associated with all relevant stages of production, use, and disposal of materials used in transportation infrastructure projects, as well as strategies for increasing the use of low-carbon materials in projects nationwide.
- Other innovative approaches proposed by applicants that have the potential to solve climate and sustainability challenges within the U.S. transportation sector.
Funding Information
U.S. DOT anticipates making an initial award of $2,500,000 for year one and up to $2,500,000 for years two and three, under this Notice of Funding Opportunity, subject to availability of funds. Additional Federal funding may be made available for this Agreement to continue up to five years in total, subject to the availability of funds.
Grant Period
The period of performance will be up to 36 months.
Eligibility Criteria
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
