MEDIA CONTACT: Debra Kain
561-297-2010, dkain@fau.edu
Kristine McGrath
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U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $7 Million Award to Develop Center for Intermodal Transportation Safety and Security

Center to be based at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida

BOCA RATON, FL (August 4, 2004) - The Office of the Secretary of Transportation has announced an award of $7 million to Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, for support of the Center for Intermodal Transportation Safety and Security (CITSS.)

FAU is the lead university for the comprehensive center, which has been established to research and develop transportation management planning along with safety and security for transit, rail, airports, seaports and roads. The other three founding universities for the Center are the University of South Florida's Center for Urban Transportation Research (Tampa, FL), the University of Central Florida's Center for Advanced Transportation Simulation (Orlando, FL) and Florida International University's Lehman Center for Transportation Research (Miami, FL).

Seven other Florida universities are participating in the consortium: the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL), Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL), Florida A& M University (Tallahassee, FL), University of North Florida (Jacksonville, FL), University of West Florida (Pensacola, FL), Florida Gulf Coast University (Ft. Meyers, FL) and the New College of Florida (Sarasota, FL). CITSS is based on the present FAU-led Center that was created in 2000 and ranked as "the best collaborative, university-wide research proposal" in Florida in 2002.

Intermodal transportation involves the safe, secure and efficient movement of people, goods and resources by air, land, sea and space. The research at FAU, led by CITSS Executive Director Dr. Clifford Bragdon, will develop virtual real-time (four-dimensional) intermodal transportation simulation solutions. "Transportation is recognized as the backbone of America's mobile-based society, with transportation gridlock costing the nation nearly $500 billion annually in direct and indirect costs," said Bragdon.

CITSS is designed to address potential natural or terrorist threats to the safety and general economic welfare of Florida's population and its transportation-based infrastructure. Applied research, including modeling and simulation technology, will be utilized to plan efficient and integrated systems of movement. The Center would assist cities, counties, businesses and other users in prevention, response, recovery and reconstruction of transportation systems in the event of an emergency.
"Solutions that collectively address threats of terrorism, transportation gridlock and threats related to natural disasters offer major planning and management benefits to our transportation system," said Bragdon.

CITSS will utilize the collaborative resources of Florida public universities and the combined disciplines of architecture, engineering, planning, computer science, information technology, criminal justice, public administration and management to address various issues related to transportation gridlock and terrorism prevention. The aim of 26 proposed projects for the Center is to aid transport entities - ranging from the Port of Miami and Port Canaveral to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando International Airports - in their educational and training needs. Projects might include table top exercises, role playing, gaming, incidence response training, vulnerability analysis and transportation quality management, all using intermodal transportation simulation and planning tools. Such technologies can offer learning opportunities in a very non-traditional manner, providing a "virtual experience" for dangerous situations training.

"Florida Atlantic University is excited to take the lead on this Center, which will serve as a national model for transportation providers," said Dr. Larry Lemanski, vice president for research and graduate studies at FAU. "Integration and cooperation is critical in assuring the safety and security of intermodal transportation systems in Florida and the nation."

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