One for the road
Improving the state's infrastructure
Archived article from Nov 12, 1999
By Stacey B. Hersh
Rutgers' Center for Advanced Infrastructure Technology (CAIT) and its new asphalt pavement laboratory were formally dedicated Nov. 5 at the first New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Research Showcase, held at the Busch campus.
CAIT, established in 1996, is a research partnership created by Rutgers, NJDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The center's goal is to develop and test emerging technologies in the areas of infrastructure condition monitoring and testing, advanced transportation materials and intelligent transportation systems.
"We live in a region with congested traffic and heavy transit demand. Our infrastructure is old and heavily utilized in many of our corridor environments. But all of this makes the region, and New Jersey in particular, a great laboratory for the implementation of new ideas and the testing of advanced research," said Ali Maher, director of CAIT.
The dedication was attended by Oliver McGee Jr., deputy assistant secretary for technology policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation, who gave the keynote address, and representatives from NJDOT, FHWA and the state legislature.
New Jersey State Senator Diane Allen, vice chair of the senate transportation committee, praised CAIT for its ongoing research efforts. "We have a commitment to keep the transportation system safe and to keep it funded, but we must work together in order for this venture to succeed. Research is the beginning of the problem-solving pipeline, and you have my gratitude for all your hard work."
The showcase featured a full day of presentations and demonstrations of innovative technologies. Examples ranged from superstrength paving materials, designed for increased durability and pothole resistance, to specialized sensors that can detect road conditions and determine the stability of transportation structures. NJ Venturer, the state's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle, was also on display.
"We are very pleased that our dedication coincided with the first NJDOT research open house. It is a true affirmation of the close ties that exist between NJDOT and Rutgers and the other outstanding academic and industrial research institutions and centers in the state," said Maher.
For more information, visit CAIT's Web site at cait.rutgers.edu.
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