SUNY Poly receives funding to participate in transportation study

MARCY, N.Y. — The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded SUNY Polytechnic Institute funding that is part of a broader $5 million research effort, spearheaded by City University of New York (CUNY), to assess public transportation and infrastructure needs.

SUNY Poly’s Albany and Marcy campuses, as part of the new Center for Social and Economic Mobility for People and Communities through Transportation (SEMPACT), will use probes and sensors to make assessments. The work will culminate in a final evaluation of strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities through studying private-sector traffic data in targeted transportation corridors.

“Our faculty, researchers, and students will be able to take the knowledge they gain from this research initiative and connect with our local communities to drive impactful results, including a more equitable and sustainable public-transportation system in New York state and beyond,” SUNY Poly Officer-in-Charge Dr. Andrew Russell said in a press release.

The five-year grant enables SUNY Poly students to gain first-hand experience designing research objectives and collecting and analyzing data that can enhance the quality, sustainability, efficiency, and effectiveness of public transportation. The release didn’t specify how much money SUNY Poly was allocated from the overall $5 million research effort.

SEMPACT is looking to leverage recent vehicle and infrastructure-technology advances with its research to create a more equitable and sustainable transportation system for the region including New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.