On September 29 the Fresno Council of Governments (COG) Policy Board approved allocating nearly $3 million in Measure C New Technology Reserve funds for Fresno State’s Transportation Institute.

Fresno State’s Transportation Institute will be a collaboration between Fresno State’s Lyles College of Engineering, College of Social Sciences and Craig School of Business and the 15 cities within Fresno County.

“This funding is a win-win not only for Fresno State students but Fresno County as a whole,” said Supervisor Henry Perea, a Fresno COG Policy Board Member. “Thanks to this partnership between Fresno COG and Fresno State, there will not only be increased educational opportunities for students interested in becoming planners but also a greater likelihood that grants will be awarded to Fresno County cities for transportation projects due to the creation of a highly-skilled workforce of planners that are equipped to complete such projects.”

This funding of nearly $3 million was recommended by the Measure C New Technology Reserve Fund Multidisciplinary Advisory Group. Other recommended projects for funding include the Sustainable Aviation Project, the Fresno Area Express (FAX) Public Transit Innovations Project and the Fresno County Rural Transit Authority (FCRTA) Electric Bus/Rail Connector Project. Due to this funding, Fresno State will be able to progressively develop undergraduate and graduate courses for this institute, conduct transportation-focused research and write research grant proposals, as well as coordinate annual transportation summits, annual teacher education conferences and mobile laboratory visits.

“This funding will allow students and faculty researchers to engage in multi-disciplinary research in areas such as multi-modal transit systems, air pollution, energy, congestion, and advanced transportation technologies,” said Ram Nunna, dean of the Lyles College of Engineering. “The Transportation Institute will partner with cities within Fresno County to assist them with securing federal and state transportation grants.”

“This partnership with Fresno COG will create exciting new possibilities for Fresno State students and the future of transportation in Fresno County,” said Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro. “This institute will give students interested in pursuing engineering and planning degrees the opportunity to receive a high-quality education at Fresno State while also creating job opportunities from the increased transportation grant funding.”

Undergraduate and graduates courses for the institute will commence during the 2017-2018 school year. The Fresno County Transportation Authority (FCTA) Board will vote on approving the funding for Fresno State’s Transportation Institute at its next meeting Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016.

For more information, contact Katie Campbell at 559.346.9551 or kacampbell@co.fresno.ca.us.