The CT Training and Technical Assistance Center (T2 Center) is part of the Connecticut Transportation Institute, which operates within the UConn College of Engineering. The Center serves as the state’s Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), funded by the Federal Highway Administration and State Departments of Transportation.
Through a comprehensive suite of training programs, technical assistance services, and peer instructional networks, the T2 Center helps municipal agencies, public works departments, traffic professionals, and law enforcement in Connecticut enhance safety, efficiency, and infrastructure performance throughout the state’s surface transportation system.
“Our primary goal is to support this important community of transportation professionals, and we have grown our center to be able to offer programs for every stage of their careers,” says Mary McCarthy, the Executive Program Director of the T2 Center. “Whether they are just starting out or have taken on a leadership role, we are there to connect them with the latest in practice, technology and lessons learned from their peers.”
The Center specifically serves a broad array of stakeholders, including municipal public works directors, street and road maintenance staff, transportation planners, and more.
The T2 Center provides a diverse set of educational and technical programs tailored to enhancing the knowledge of Connecticut transportation professionals.
“This program has helped me start off my career in the transportation industry,” says a Connecticut Department of Transportation (CT DOT) Traffic Signal Technician, “From attending classes to learn the basic functionalities of a traffic signal plan to how to incorporate new innovative technologies into our system.”
The Public Works Academy is a foundational program that covers the core competencies necessary to be a successful public works professional.
The Road Master Program offers training focused on best practices in operational safety, road maintenance and management.
The Road Scholar Program is for individuals currently in or interested in pursuing supervisory positions. It focuses on those skills necessary for leading a team and a department, including risk and asset management, communication and supervision,
The Local Traffic Authority Program supports training traffic authority personnel in regulatory and operational roles.
The Transportation Leadership Program is aimed at emerging and existing transportation leaders, offering comprehensive training that blends management, strategy, and technical awareness.
“The value that the T2 Center provides to municipal and State team members far surpasses training and education alone,” says Tom Modzelewski, the Director of Public Works for the town of Ellington. “Relationships are created between these agencies that would have likely never exist if not for the programming offered by the T2 Center.”
The Safety Academy offers a range of workshops focused on roadway safety, preparing professionals with current practices and innovations.
The Traffic Signal Technician Certificate Program is for Connecticut’s traffic signal professionals, providing them with knowledge of signal maintenance and operational procedures.
The CT T2 Center also offers custom training programs, developed with individual organizations to meet their specific educational and safety needs.
“Our municipal and state transportation professionals play a large role in the safety and success of Connecticut’s communities. We are so proud to support them with our programs and services and help them develop their peer networks,” says McCarthy. “The conversations and experiences they share in our classes contribute to increased synergy, connecting agencies and improving safety and efficiencies across the state.”
Beyond structured training, the T2 Center supports Connecticut agencies through technical assistance and resource sharing. Through the equipment loan program, municipalities can borrow specialized equipment to support operations and training, the safety circuit rider and traffic signal circuit rider programs offer on-the-ground assistance and mentorship for safety and signal-related issues.
The Center hosts the CT Crossroads Newsletter on their technical resource libraries, and listservs for peer learning, along with attending conferences across the country, sharing the work they are doing in Connecticut.
“In an era of tighter municipal budgets, aging infrastructure, and evolving demands, local agencies face unprecedented challenges,” says Eric Jackson, the executive director of the Connecticut Transportation Institute. “The T2 Center plays a crucial “capacity-building” role, bridging the gap between training, innovation, and on-the-ground implementation.”
By delivering training, tools, and technical assistance, the T2 Center helps ensure that Connecticut’s transportation network remains reliable, safe, and well-maintained.
To learn more about the T2 Center, visit their website and check out their story map.
