AASHTO Journal, 2 October 2015
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the hiring of new staff to operate a new financing center that will be known as the Build America Transportation Investment Center, or BATIC.
According to a post on Foxx’s Fast Lane Blog, BATIC will serve as a single point of contact and coordination for states, municipalities, and project sponsors “looking to harness federal transportation expertise, apply for federal transportation financing programs, and explore ways to access private capital in public private partnerships.”
Here’s a USDOT video that offers additional details:
AASHTO will work with USDOT through a cooperative agreement to establish the BATIC Institute: An AASHTO Center for Excellence. The BATIC Institute will help state departments of transportation and other agencies better utilize innovative solutions to finance transportation projects and safeguard taxpayers’ investments. The BATIC Institute also will develop important capacity building resources that will support the services offered through the BATIC at USDOT.
“We are pleased to be working with our partners at USDOT to help solve the finance issues transportation agencies face today,” said AASHTO Executive Director Bud Wright. “Great ideas need to be shared and decision makers across the country will benefit from the Institute as they learn about the many innovative options available.”
The BATIC Institute will provide specialized education to decision makers and transportation project leaders at state DOTs and local partner agencies. Through education and outreach programs that include in-person and online training, industry professionals will have access to the tools they need to apply cutting-edge solutions within their organizations, across the country.
Visit the BATIC Institute’s website to learn more: www.financingtransportation.org.