The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Friday it awarded $5 million to the University of Maryland (UMD) to establish and manage the “Build American Center.”
The Center will offer educational programs, information, and resources for transportation agencies in all areas of project financing and delivery.
“This new Build America Center will mean more transformative transportation projects across the country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “By bringing together the public and private sector, we can help bring more good projects to life and improve the lives of Americans.”
The Center will support the Build America Bureau and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to help bring about new approaches to financing development as the transportation industry faces unprecedented funding for infrastructure projects as part of the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
UMD will serve as the lead for the Center and contribute a match to the grant of 20 percent. Four other universities, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Purdue, and Stanford, will serve as regional leads. Through programming, research initiatives, and publications, the centers will partner with alumni, business leaders, and local government to educate the community and provide their students with enrichment experiences facilitating their professional development.
“Alternative financing is an incredible tool to move projects forward, and this Center will help public entities access technical assistance in financial planning and innovative project delivery methods,” said Bureau Executive Director Morteza Farajian. “The Center will support transportation professionals as well as benefitting under-resourced and disadvantaged communities that may not have used low-interest, long-term federal financing in the past.”
The Center will hold a kick-off meeting on April 11, featuring expert panel sessions that open dialogue between federal and state officials implementing the BIL and delivering crucial transportation projects.