Community Impact Research & Discovery

June 15, 2026 | Claire Galvin

$12M Grant to UConn from Connecticut’s Department of Transportation to Extend Partnership

UConn is essential to processing crash reports (almost 9,000 a month) and making the data available to stakeholders

An aerial shot captures the aftermath of a collision between a red SUV and a silver car, the vehicles angled against each other on a grey asphalt road. Debris litters the roadside, marked by orange paint. A person in a bright vest stands off to the side.

(Envato stock).

UConn College of Engineering faculty and staff will again be a part of Connecticut’s critical transportation safety initiatives, this time through a nearly $12 million grant that will benefit drivers, pedestrians, law enforcement personnel, and others. 

Law enforcement personnel setting up a bicyclist dummy before a car crash.
The CTSRC holds training courses for law enforcement on bike and pedestrian crash investigations. (Photo courtesy of Eric Jackson)

The Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center (CTSRC) has renewed its partnership with the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) through a new five-year, $11.95 million agreement. This investment will support cutting-edge crash data systems, advanced safety analytics, law enforcement training, and innovative research to help make Connecticut’s transportation system safer for everyone.  

The CTSRC operates through UConn’s Connecticut Transportation Institute (CTI). CTI serves as a focal point for transportation-related research at the university and training throughout the state, and since 1995 has brought in almost $175M in state grants.

“We’re proud to continue working with the DOT to turn data into actionable safety solutions that save lives,” says CTI executive director and CTSRC director Eric Jackson. “The center has acted as a trusted ‘agent-for-change’ throughout the Connecticut transportation for almost 15 years.” 

Jackson is also a professor within the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. 

Law enforcement personnel reviewing the scene of a simulated car crash.
Law enforcement reviewing a simulated bicycle and car collision. (Photo courtesy of Eric Jackson)

The CTSRC was established by the DOT in 2012. CTI’s core programs, including the CTSRC, the Connecticut Advanced Pavement Laboratory, and the Training and Technical (T2) Assistance Center, serve to advance the maintenance and enhancement of transportation systems and safety with a particular focus on Connecticut’s current and future needs. 

According to the memorandum of understanding, the CTSRC’s mission is to support CTDOT, “in developing and maintaining a state-of-the-art highway crash data entry, collection, and safety analysis system and develop for CTDOT analytical tools, related safety research and outreach programs, and custom training that support the crash data system.” 

According to the memorandum, the center will focus on three key areas in its next five years: data collection; data analysis and analytic support; and training and education. The partners are focused on two significant outcomes: meeting current stakeholder needs in the short term; and ensuring a nimble, sustainable and scalable organization that can meet new, emerging, and unforeseen needs over the long term.

A computerized depiction of Connecticut crashes in Tolland, showing extent of injuries and property damage.
A screenshot of the Connecticut Crash Data Repository, managed by the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center. (Photo courtesy of Eric Jackson)

UConn is essential to processing crash reports (almost 9,000 a month) and making the data available to stakeholders. To continually improve crash documentation and investigation, CTSRC crash data liaisons are Police Officer Standards and Training certified. They teach at academies to train new recruits to investigate motor vehicle crashes and properly document the results of their investigation, ensuring more high-quality data over time. 

“This partnership reflects the vital role that research universities play in solving real-world challenges,” says UConn Engineering Dean JC Zhao. “Through the Connecticut Transportation Institute, our faculty and staff are applying their expertise to improve public safety, strengthen transportation infrastructure, and deliver meaningful benefits to communities across Connecticut. We are grateful for the state’s Department of Transportation’s continued trust and collaboration.” 

CTI was established in 1974. Since 1995 when modern fiscal records first became available, the center has been awarded $174,234,499 in grants. Since the CTSRC’s inception in 2012, awards have totaled $154,719,349.