The University of Texas, Arlington is making strides to improve their state's infrastructure. In April of this year, the University received a $1.2 million grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to begin developing a new method of freight transportation. Civil engineering professor Mo Najafi, director of the UT Arlington Center for Underground Infrastructure Research, is leading the project. Professor Najafi's team is considering how freight can be moved between large hubs underground. Their idea is to create capsules that will travel through tunnels to their destinations. Each capsule would have it's own LIM (linear induction motor) system in order to propel it through a network that could be as large as a subway. The goal is to reduce traffic above ground in order to reduce the impact of driving on the environment, save time for commuters, and lower accident rates. The system could even be installed using a trenchless technique, further minimizing the effects to the surface. Research will be done in three phases over three years. First, a feasibility study will be conducted. Then, a small-scale working model will be created. Finally, if all goes well, the team will build a full-scale working model on a two to three mile long track.

In addition to its research efforts, UTA is also offering free transportation education and training to Texas cities through a program called the Texas Local Technical Assistance Program (TxLTAP). TxLTAP has been in existence since 1982, offering local transportation providers assistance in developing safe and environmentally friendly road systems. Now, through a $1.8 million dollar grant funded by the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, UTA will join in TxLTAP's mission to continually improve and maintain their state's infrastructure.