Customized Professional Training
Transportation is a complex field, and workforce development is essential. CTS works with government agencies to create and deliver customized workshops for agency staff, building on the ongoing training provided by the Minnesota Local Technical Assistance Program. Topics range from public involvement to project management to technical topics such as truck-weight compliance. Services include curriculum development, marketing, course development, and course evaluation.
Contact:
For more information, please contact Jim Grothaus, Director of Technology Transfer and Training, 612-625-8373, jgrothaus@cts.umn.edu.
Recent projects
Context-Sensitive Design
Context-sensitive design is the art of creating public works projects that meet the needs of the users, the neighboring communities, and the environment. CTS and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) are working together to expand the understanding and use of context-sensitive design principles in Minnesota transportation projects this site offers a wealth of information about CSD and details on CSD workshops. More Information
Truck-Weight Compliance
Road damage from overweight vehicles is a growing concern of state, county, city, and township transportation authorities. This training promotes voluntary compliance to significantly reduce the damage to public roads and highways — and the resulting repairs and expense — caused by overweight vehicles. More Information
Environmental Streamlining
CTS hosted workshops that covered elements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) project development and decision-making process as it relates to transportation planning, design, and construction. Emerging issues and best practices at the state and national levels for environmental stewardship and streamlining were discussed. More Information
Mn/DOT Project Management
For more than 15 years, the Mn/DOT Office of Technical Support has offered excellent project management training programs. An initial Advanced Skills for Project Managers Class Series was launched in 2004 with favorable results. This proposed Master Level Project Manager Training Program is an attempt to build on the success of the former advanced level program and offer more in-depth training that will address the current and future needs of experienced level Mn/DOT project managers. Whereas the former Advanced Skills for Project Managers class was three (3) days in length, this expanded master level series will be eleven (11) total days. The current direction of Mn/DOT, as an engineering organization, is that of becoming a 'Program Management Organization' which requires an increased emphasis on and investment in developing project managers. This master level program is a viable means to meet this evolving organizational need. More Information
Mn/DOT Hear Every Voice
The overall objective of this project is to develop, deploy and evaluate trainings. These trainings are based on the new Mn/DOT Public Involvement Guidance Document, "Hear Every Voice II." More Information
Mn/DOT Roundabout Training
In FY 2007, the Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) hosted Roundabout Design training on behalf of Mn/DOT's Office of Technical Support (OTS). As a follow-up to that training, MnDOT's OTS has asked CTS to host additional training sessions on roundabout design principles. The topic will cover: Rodel Software Training for Roundabout Design. More Information