Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP)
Established in 1981 as the Rural Technical Assistance Program,
the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) is a program of the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA). LTAP provides for local highway agencies
improved access to highway technology to meet the growing demands placed
on local roads, bridges, and public transportation.
LTAP has established a nationwide system of 57 technology transfer (T2)
centers, some of which are located in universities, with others in state
transportation agencies. Six of these centers serve American Indian tribal
governments, and one serves Puerto Rico. Each center develop their own mix
of technology transfer tools and information to most effectively address
the needs of their local highway communities.
Funding for the centers is provided through the federal aid process,
which requires support and involvement from state transportation agencies.
Funding for the centers comes from federal LTAP funds, state departments
of transportation, universities, local agencies, and finances designated
by state legislation. The centers serving American Indian tribal governments
are jointly funded by FHWA and the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau
of Indian Affairs. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
of 1991 (ISTEA) provided authority to expand the program into urban areas.
ISTEA also included an emphasis on intergovernmental transportation planning
for American Indian tribal governments, through training and technical assistance.
The Transportation Efficiency Act (TEA-21) continues the program today.
The technology transfer centers enable local agencies to improve their
transportation network by:
- Increasing transportation expertise at the state and local governments.
- Providing a channel for materials prepared at the national level for local use
- Promoting the effective use of research findings and innovations for improving transportation.
- Meeting the needs of transportation personnel in local governments with tailored resource materials.
The Washington State T2 Center is the LTAP center for the state of Washington
and is one of the national network of transportation T2 centers.
As noted by Rodney E. Slater, former USDOT Administrator, "The LTAP
network is living proof that the partnerships that have evolved among the
states, academia, local highway agencies, tribal governments, and the federal
government, can accomplish more than these groups working in isolation."
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