PacTrans News
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March 2, 2026
WA Student Infrastructure Workforce Internship 2026
WA Student Infrastructure Workforce Internship 2026
Deadline: March 13, 2026
We are offering exciting high school & undergraduate Infrastructure internship opportunities for high school (juniors and seniors) and college-level (freshmen through junior) students interested in infrastructure (transportation, engineering, planning, computer science, and more). This learning opportunity provides students with the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the infrastructure workforce, build their resume, and engage with mentors who will offer guidance, training, and support throughout the experience. This valuable opportunity supports students’ understanding of what diverse careers in Infrastructure might look like and exposes them to the many benefits offered through these careers.
List of WSDOT placements:
- WSDOT Construction & Infrastructure Intern, Public Transportation Division
- WSDOT Complete Streets Implementation Team Intern
- WSDOT Digital Delivery Intern
- WSDOT Fish Passage Delivery Intern
- WSDOT Hydraulics Office Fish Passage Design Intern
How It Works
Applicants will be reviewed and paired with a host agency based on geography, skills, and availability.* *We cannot guarantee placement with an agency due to the above considerations.
Internship Expectations
- Duration: Early April to June 30, 2026
- Work Hours: 10-15 hours per week
- Stipend: Up to $4,500 total (Divided into two payments at 6-week intervals over the course of the internship. Final payment by 6/30/2026). *Note – some internships require personal protective equipment (PPE). Your mentor will provide more information on required PPE as needed per your job duties.
Requirements
- Must be high school junior or senior student, or
- Must be college-level freshman, sophomore, or junior student
- No professional experience required
How to apply
- Fill out the online form and choose your top two internship preferences: https://bit.ly/wa-interns-2026
- Attach a resume, cover letter and at least 1 personal or professional reference (if applicable)
- Your cover letter should explain your interest in the position(s) and identify the qualities you have that prepare you for this opportunity.
- Include information on what you plan to or currently study, and why this internship may benefit your studies
Applications are accepted and started on a rolling basis. This site will close when there are no more placements available.
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February 19, 2026
PacTrans Tech Transfer Success Stories
PacTrans Tech Transfer Success Stories (Up to $10k)
Due March 31, 2026
We are seeking proposals for up to $10k in funding for innovative tech transfer activities related to your transportation research. While we encourage PIs to submit ideas based on previously funded PacTrans research outputs, this RFP is open to anyone with strong transportation related research results who is interested in moving those results into practice.
How to apply and required format: Please see the full RFP here
Application form: Apply here by Mar 31, 2026Key Dates
- Proposals Due: Mar 31, 2026
- Decisions: Apr 30, 2026
- Performance Period: Must start before Sept 16, 2026 (12-month performance period)
Questions
Send questions to the PacTrans Associate Director of Tech Transfer: jonf@cs.uw.edu -
February 13, 2026
Two PacTrans Students Share a Journey of Transportation Research, Recognition, and Love
By Kristine Pham
Two graduate students from the University of Washington’s transportation program are making an impact through their research, leadership, and a shared academic journey that began years before they arrived in the Pacific Northwest.
Rubina Singh, now a Graduate Research Assistant at UW CEE, and Ekin Uğurel, PhD, now a Postdoctoral Associate at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, first crossed paths during their undergraduate years studying Civil Engineering at The University of Texas. During their final semester, they were randomly assigned to the same capstone group, where they worked on redesigning a bus route in Austin, and, fittingly, they were asked to model it using Seattle’s King County Metro’s guidance.
What started as a shared academic interest grew into a lasting partnership, one that would later bring them to the same graduate program across the country.
Left: Rubina and Ekin’s first in-person meeting, interviewing bus drivers in Austin, TX. Right: TRAFVU Simulations via Zoom
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December 2, 2025
New Training! Beyond Compliance: Advancing Accessible Design in Transit Facilities and the Public Right-of-Way with Community Transit
The PacTrans Workforce Development Institute is excited to announce a new training developed in collaboration with Community Transit, a public transit authority in Washington, on ADA Design and Policy for transportation professionals. Beyond Compliance: Advancing Accessible Design in Transit Facilities and the Public Right-of-Way equips transportation professionals with the legal knowledge, design principles, and practical tools to plan, evaluate, implement, and maintain accessible, inclusive, and universally designed pedestrian and transit facilities that go beyond minimum ADA compliance.
Beyond Compliance: Advancing Accessible Design in Transit Facilities and the Public Right-of-Way
When: February 11, 2026, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Community Transit, 2312 W Casino Road, Everett, WA 98204
Cost: $300 -
October 31, 2025
Thank you for joining us at the 2025 Region 10 Transportation Conference!
In October, the 12th Annual PacTrans Region 10 Transportation Conference was held at Portland State University, drawing transportation researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from all across the Pacific Northwest for this year’s theme, Connecting Communities: Improving Mobility Under Uncertainty.
