University of Pennsylvania set to launch new hub for transportation research
The University of Pennsylvania is launching a new hub for transportation research. Housed in the Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR), the Richards Transportation Initiative at Penn (R-TRIP) is led by Penn IUR Faculty Fellows Leslie Richards, former CEO of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and now professor of practice at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, and lead faculty advisor Megan Ryerson, UPS Foundation professor and chair of the Department of City and Regional Planning at the Weitzman School.
The initiative, set to begin Oct. 16, aims to connect Penn’s research with modern transportation systems.
“The Richards Transportation Initiative is built on the idea that great research should move quickly into action,” Richards said. “We’re creating a platform where public agencies, private partners and academic leaders can work together to develop and implement smart, scalable solutions that accelerate innovation across the transportation sector.”
The university says R-TRIP will address the following challenges in regards to public transit:
- Transportation safety and crash prevention
- Expanded access to jobs, education and essential services
- Data-driven innovation and technology deployment
- Infrastructure prepared for future demands and disruptions
- Improved reliability and performance of complex systems
Projects will be co-developed with input from public agencies and private sponsors and guided by interdisciplinary teams of university faculty, students and transportation leaders. The initiative’s public sector advisory committee includes CEOs from major transportation agencies across the country such as the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, California State Transportation Agency, Georgia Department of Transportation, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Utah Department of Transportation, Denver International Airport, Pittsburgh Regional Transit and Philadelphia’s Department of Aviation, among others.
“The Richards Transportation Initiative is exactly the kind of forward-looking collaboration our nation’s transportation systems need,” said Garrett Eucalitto, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials president and commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. “Initiatives like this strengthen the ability of agencies to work across functions to improve mobility, accelerate electrification and think beyond standard practices to better serve their communities.”
The university notes R-TRIP anticipates launching a series of pilot projects in collaboration with public and private partners, with an emphasis on:
- Leveraging artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to improve safety and operational efficiency.
- Exploring smart infrastructure that adapts to user behavior and demand.
- Advancing mobility data platforms that support informed planning and investment.
- Supporting infrastructure that is resilient and adaptable to future conditions.
The efforts will aim to reduce congestion, increase safety and provide broader access to opportunity through solutions that can scale across diverse environments.
“We constantly ask how we can make travel safer, faster and more responsive across Pennsylvania and beyond,” said PennDOT Secretary Michael B. Carroll. “The Initiative’s applied research model gives us a powerful new tool to inform real-world planning and investment.”
Founding sponsors for R-TRIP include Google Public Sector, AtkinsRéalis, Bentley Systems, HNTB, INRIX, STV, WSP, 4M Analytics and Slalom.
“Transportation systems are the backbone of our communities,” said Penn IUR Co-director and Lawrence C. Nussdorf Professor of Planning Eugenie Birch. “This initiative reflects Penn’s ongoing commitment to research that serves the public good.”
Susan Wachter, Penn IUR Co-director and Albert Sussman Professor of Real Estate and Finance at the Wharton School,added, “This initiative sets a new benchmark for how academic institutions can partner with public agencies to solve the very real challenges in transportation. It’s the ideas and applications that count.”