The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and its partners welcomed several of the nation’s highest-ranking transportation officials including United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg and outgoing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator Dr. Steven Cliff on a tour of GoMentum Station in Concord, California on Friday, September 9, 2022. The groundbreaking site is one of the country’s largest secure facilities dedicated to testing transportation technology, including connected and automated vehicles.

GoMentum Station is a 5,000–acre former naval weapons station, featuring more than 20 miles of paved roadway; two 1400-foot tunnels; curbs, gutters, and sidewalks; railroad crossings; potholes; smart signal lab; and a mini-city that can support multimodal testing. Founded by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and managed by AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah (AAA NCNU), this unique test bed provides an opportunity for test partners to push their technology to its limits while testing within a controlled environment.

During the visit, Secretary Buttigieg and outgoing Administrator Cliff had the opportunity to tour the different test zones and participate in demonstrations. Built on a public/private partnership model, GoMentum Station allows the private sector space to innovate and test while providing the public sector with access to new technologies as they are being developed. The work being carried out at GoMentum Station facilitates informed policy, regulation, and planning decisions around technology.

“The Contra Costa Transportation Authority is looking beyond transportation solutions to prepare for our future roadways and mobility,” states Chris Kelley, CCTA Board Chair. “Our vision for the future centers on using emerging technologies and public-private partnerships to meet changing and future transportation demands, help our residents safely get where they need to go, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Contra Costa County.”

In 2019, CCTA was awarded a $7.5 million Automated Driving Systems grant by USDOT to conduct three groundbreaking pilot projects that address current mobility needs while advancing standards for automated driving systems in the United States by gathering essential data on performance and safety measures with CCTA’s partners at GoMentum Station

Facilitating research and the advancement of transportation technology to improve safety is what drives AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah’s management team at GoMentum Station. "At GoMentum Station, AAA NCNU collaborates with automakers, technology companies, and local governments to ensure new technologies are integrated safely into our transportation system," said Matt Alfano, Vice President of Mobility Innovation for AAA NCNU. "We believe the testing happening at GoMentum today could save lives tomorrow.

The passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and 50% increase to NHTSA’s budget, will enable NHTSA to make its largest investment into vehicle and highway traffic safety. Transportation technology has a role to play in increasing the safety of all road users, and today’s tour highlighted how test beds like GoMentum Station can be an instrumental tool in making that future a reality.