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1996 Thomas A. Dingus is named director of the Center for Transportation Research. He oversees a $2 million annual budget and a full-time staff of 18. The Center for Transportation Research is designated as one of three Federal Highway Administration/Federal Transit Administration Intelligent Transportation Systems Research Centers of Excellence.

1997 Groundbreaking occurs for the first 1.7-mile part of the Smart Road.

1994 Virginia Tech is part of a consortium headed by General Motors awarded a $150 million federal grant to develop a prototype for the high-tech roads of the future.

1989 Discussions begin to build a “smart road” alongside a proposed highway between Blacksburg and Roanoke.

2000 The Center for Transportation Research officially becomes VTTI. On March 23, the Smart Road officially opens in co-sponsorship with VDOT. VTTI researchers simultaneously begin studying highway infrastructure using the Smart Road, particularly pavement materials.

1988 VTTI (then called the Center for Transportation Research) is established in response to the U.S. Department of Transportation University Transportation Centers Program as part of a Penn State team and in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

1995 Preliminary designs for the Smart Road are unveiled by VDOT.

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