Center for Transportation Research and Education

About the research

This project will develop educational materials and tools so that the Iowa Department of Transportation staff and Commission and other transportation decision-makers can better understand the role that transportation investments play in land development and use. It will help improve the quality of discussion and decision-making regarding transportation and land use in Iowa. This will be a two-phase project. Phase One will involve a literature review focusing on finding already existing educational materials, Iowa case studies and data, Iowa expertise, and information from other states that might be used in Iowa. The second phase will involve preparing public policy education materials on transportation and land use that can be used by the Iowa DOT, Iowa Transportation Commission and others such as metropolitan planning organizations, cities, and counties. The CTRE project will be carefully coordinated with a related research project conducted by the Public Policy Center at the University of Iowa.

Upon completion of this project, the Iowa DOT staff and transportation policy-makers will have a greatly improved understanding of the transportation and land use system. They will be aware of best practices from both inside and outside Iowa and be able to make better informed policy choices and investment decisions.