Baton Rouge, LA – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced today that the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC) is hosting a two-day workshop on December 10-11 to introduce area teachers to two newly-created student engineering programs.

The programs include: Roadways Into Developing Elementary Students (RIDES), intended for grades K-8, and Transportation and Civil Engineering (TRAC), intended for use in high schools. These programs serve as a recruitment tool to introduce students to engineering, construction, and road maintenance fields.

The RIDES program contains a teacher reference guide designed for two teachers to share and includes a two-day intensive training program conducted by Nationally Certified teachers. The program encourages critical thinking and problem solving skills. It also teaches students about careers in the transportation industry, especially civil engineering.

"We’re excited to see these programs being implemented in area schools," said DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas. "These two programs will have a lasting and profound benefit for our young students, who are the future of the transportation industry."

At the heart of the TRAC program is the "TRAC PAC" which consists of eight self-contained education modules featuring professionally developed curricula that meet the national standards for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each TRAC module contains a teacher reference guide, a volunteer guidebook, a movie showing how each activity works, and the equipment, software, and supplies needed to perform up to 75 hands-on activities related to: Bridge Design, Highway Safety, City Planning, Environmental Design, Traffic Technology and Magnetic Levitation. TRAC also serves as a solution for a shortage in future workers in these key fields.

DOTD has received an $80,000 grant to fund the RIDES and TRAC programs. The funding will allow DOTD to purchase 10 RIDES packages and 10 TRAC packages for area schools. For more information about the outreach programs, please visit http://mmsd.transportation.org/trac_rides/.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is committed to delivering transportation and public works systems that enhance the quality of life. In addition to more than 16,600 miles of roadway, including over 890 miles of interstate, DOTD supports the development of the state’s aviation, marine and rail infrastructures. Through this work, we are able to facilitate economic development, create job opportunities, improve vital evacuation routes, and make critical freight corridors safer and more efficient.

For more information, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email dotdcs@la.gov, or call DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Motorists can access up-to-date travel information by dialing 511 or by visiting www.511la.org. Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511).