The US is facing a national transportation dilemma in system performance and funding which will lead to dramatic changes in government policy. The next national transportation authorization is considered the most critical since 1956, the year the interstate highway system and the trust fund were founded. This bill will chart the path for transportation in the 21st century. What are the options that may be the pillars for the authorization? Is there a new transportation vision for the nation? Where are we going and how do we get there?
Speaker: Dr. C. Michael Walton is Professor of Civil Engineering and holds the Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.
He received the B.S. degree from Virginia Military Institute and the master's and Ph.D. from North Carolina State University. Dr. Walton's research focuses on intelligent transportation systems and intermodal freight logistics in addition to transportation systems engineering, planning, operations and policy analysis.
Dr. Walton has published more than 200 articles and reports, and has presented more than 250 technical lectures, presentations and keynote addresses. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and the American Society of Civil Engineers noted the technical contributions of Dr. Walton by honoring him with several awards, including the 1999 Francis C. Turner Lecture for outstanding contributions to transportation research, education and practice; the 1992 James Laurie Prize for contributions to the advancement of transportation engineering; the 1987 Harland Bartholomew Award for contributions to the enhancement of the civil engineer's role in urban planning and development; and the 1987 Frank M. Masters Transportation Engineering Award for innovations in transport facility planning. The Transportation Research Board presented Dr. Walton with the 1998 W.N. Carey, Jr. Distinguished Service Award in recognition of outstanding leadership in support of transportation research.
In 1995, he was named TRB's Distinguished Lecturer in recognition of the research contributions over his entire career. The American Road and Transportation Builders Association presented Dr. Walton with the 1994 S.S. Steinberg Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to transportation education. He received the 1995 Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award from the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University, and the College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin awarded Dr. Walton the 1996 Joe J. King Award, their highest professional award, in recognition of his outstanding leadership to the engineering profession. The Institute of Transportation Engineers has awarded him the 1996 Wilbur S. Smith Distinguished Transportation Educator Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to the transportation profession by relating academic studies to the actual practice of transportation.