MPC
Research Projects (1999-00)

Identifying Number

MPC-180

Project Title

North Front Range Transportation Research Internships

University

Colorado State University

Project Investigator

Dr. Richard M. Gutkowski
Department of Civil Engineering
Colorado State University
(970)491-8291 or Fax (970)491-2788
gutkowsk@engr.colostate.edu

Neil S. Grigg, Head
Department of Civil Engineering
Colorado State University
(970)491-5049 or Fax (970)491-7727
neilg@engr.colostate.edu

External Project Contact

Vicky McLane
Transportation Program Manager
NFRT & AQPC
210 E. Olive St.
Ft. Collins, CO 80524
(970)224-6059 or Fax (970)224-6239

Project Objective

The objective of the project is to provide cooperation and student research assistance in the conduct of priority transportation and transportation research studies conducted by local and county transportation agencies and industry in northern Colorado.

Project Abstract

Colorado State University (CSU) and the North Front Range Transportation & Air Quality Planning Council (NFRT&AQPC) (hereafter "the Council") will identify externally funded research projects that will benefit from the participation of student research interns from CSU. An annual process of identification and placement of interested, qualified student interns into active research activities in these projects and reporting of the progress and outcomes of the projects is described. The NFRT&AQPC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization for an area comprised of Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley in Colorado and the municipalities around and between these communities. In 1994 the NFRT & AQPC adopted the 2105 Regional Transportation Plan. Because the North Front Range is a dynamic area of rapidly growing population, the Council continually updates and refines the regional transportation needs and has an extended time horizon to the year 2020. Hence, the plan has been renamed as the North Front Range 2020 Regional Transportation Plan.

The Council and local and county government transportation agencies have established and conducted an exhaustive, detailed project identification and prioritizing process consistent with the statewide planning process conducted via the Colorado Department of Transportation. This MPC project utilizes the outcomes of this regional planning and subsequent state, county and locally funded projects as the base for establishing student intern needs and matching the student to them based on interests and qualifications. The involved transportation agencies and industry firms contracted by the agencies provide dollar resources for the paid internships and pertinent support budget related to the intern's duties.

Task Descriptions

The process for determining projects, assigning the interns and reporting on the conduct of the individual research assignments is detailed below.

• Task 1 – Conduct a project identification meeting of the CSU program director, the NFRT&AQPC director and a representative of its Technical Advisory Committee to determine 3-4 potential public agency funded projects for intern needs. (R. Gutkowski - November 15, 1999)
• Task 2 – Conduct the advertising, solicitation and the interview process and identify 2-3 interns per potential project for consideration by the public agencies and its contractees. (R. Gutkowski - December 15, 1999)
• Task 3 – Offer internships based on agency and industry choices until the positions are filled. (R. Gutkowski - December 31, 1999)
• Task 4 – Conduct an organizational information and planning meeting with all interns, public agency representatives and representatives from industry firms involved in the conduct of the research projects. (R. Gutkowski - January 31, 2000)
• Task 5 – Conduct of the individual internships. (R. Gutkowski -August 15, 2000)
• Task 6 – Each intern and agency prepares summary reports on its completed internships. (R. Gutkowski - September 30, 2000)
• Task 7 – Update the web site to reflect the recently completed internship and the next year's application and interview schedule. (October 31, 2000)

Milestones, Dates

• Starting Data: November 1, 1999
• Hiring of Interns: December 31, 1999
• Completion of Internships: August 15, 2000
• Summary Reports from Interns: September 30, 2000
• Updated Web Site: October 31, 2000
• Ending Date: October 31, 2000

Yearly and Total Budget

Student Involvement (e.g. Thesis, Assistantships, Paid Employment)

This project is specifically established for student participation in actual transportation projects of public agencies and industry. Paid agency and industry internships are provided in the area of transportation planning and management.

Relationship to Other Research Projects

Independent of and prior to the above developments, as a pilot activity in the MPC 10th Year Program Plan, a student research intern was active on an MPC project entitled "The North Front Range Transportation Alternatives Feasibility Study." That internship related to a scoping study (Phase I) of the corridor between Ft. Collins/Loveland/Greeley and Denver to establish conceptual modal alternatives for the increasingly heavy traffic corridor. The technical work was concluded on December 31, 1997. The internship was very successful and all agency participants enthusiastically advocated an expansion into an annual internship program with increasing numbers of student participants.

Based on that dialogue and a presentation to the Technical Advisory Committee of the NFRT & AQPC an endorsement of a formal continuation ensued. It was determined that an internship program be timed for the period of June or July through December, encompassing a summer and fall semester. An MPC project was funded in Year 11 to activate the formal process. The fall semester would be used for the annual process of selecting research projects and identifying the internships. The process for selecting internships is described in a web site used for soliciting student applicants and in a forthcoming MPC report. In 1997-98 the program involved 4 internships and in 1998-99, expanded to 10 students and a solicitation was done for both fall and spring semesters. Due to a rebid process delaying TEA-21 MPC funding, this Year 12 phase has a goal of 3-4 internships.

Technology Transfer Activities

The major end users of the research are local, state and federal planning agencies, which will utilize the results of the studies to guide their future investments in the North Front Range transportation needs in Colorado. In-kind and hard dollar cost shares being made by both the public and private sectors ensure a commitment to maximize the quality and dissemination of the results. The regional and statewide planning processes have extensive reporting of results in open public meetings, conferences, workshops, web site and other professional forums.

Potential Benefits of the Project

The projects the student interns are engaged in are derived directly as priority projects identified in the North Front Range regional and the statewide planning processes in Colorado. Thus, they meet the most compelling research needs identified by the providers and users of transportation services in Colorado. As related to the interns themselves, each gains a challenging, hands-on experience in transportation research and planning. This is invaluable to the career paths and foster strong potential for them to elect to continue such careers were subsequently employed by the companies involved in their internships, and that incentive and potential is always present.

TRB Keywords

Government agencies, industry, internships, research, university students