National Technical Assistance Center for Parks and Public Lands, Year 2

The objective of this project is to create a national technical assistance center that provides federal land managers with easy and expedient access to technical support, training and information on alternative transportation issues and resources.

Alternative transportation systems (ATS) can provide effective, environmentally sensitive solutions to traffic congestion, parking, pollution, and other transportation related challenges. The increased use of alternative transportation can help public land managers find the balance point between visitor access and experience and resource protection. Therefore, in order to increase the use of alternative transportation on public lands, managers need an easily accessible, central source for information, technical assistance, and coordination and outreach assistance. Through this project, the Western Transportation Institute (WTI), in partnership with two University Transportation Centers (UTC), the University of Maine, and national consulting firms, will develop and manage a National Technical Assistance Center for Alternative Transportation in Public Lands (TAC). The purpose of the TAC is to create a “one-stop shop” source of technical support, training and information. Ongoing services could include technical liaisons and mentors, training workshops, informational databases, a “help desk” website, best practice manuals, and proposal development assistance.