CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION ADVANCEMENT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

SEC. 5504. [23 U.S.C. 504 note] CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION ADVANCEMENT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT. (a) Establishment.—The Secretary shall establish a Center for Transportation Advancement and Regional Development (referred to in this section as the “Center”) to assist, through training, education, and research, in the comprehensive development of small metropolitan and rural regional transportation systems that are responsive to the needs of businesses and local communities. (b) Activities.—In carrying out this section, the Center shall— (1) provide training, information, and professional resources for small metropolitan and rural regions to pursue innovative strategies to expand the capabilities, capacity, and effectiveness of a region's transportation network, including activities related to freight projects, transit system upgrades, roadways and bridges, and intermodal transfer facilities and operations; (2) assist local officials, rural transportation and economic development planners, officials from State departments of transportation and economic development, business leaders, and other stakeholders in developing public-private partnerships to enhance their transportation systems; and (3) promote the leveraging of regional transportation planning with regional economic and business development planning to assure that appropriate transportation systems are created. (c) Program Administration.—To carry out this section, the Secretary shall make a grant to, or enter into a cooperative agreement or contract with the National Association of Development Organizations. (d) Funding.— (1) In general.—Of the amounts made available by section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $625,000 shall be available for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 to carry out this section. (2) Federal share.—The Federal share of the cost of activities carried out in accordance with this subsection shall be 100 percent.