United States Representative Tom Petri (R-Wisconsin) will visit Iowa State on Friday to talk to students about the new developments in “smart” technologies that will transport people and goods more safely and efficiently.

“Smart” technologies are part of an intelligent transportation system. A dashboard computer that displays a traveler’s most direct route to a destination, as well as alternate routes around road construction zones or traffic jams, is an example of smart technologies.

Tom Maze, director of the Center for Transportation Research and Education and ISU professor of civil engineering, said the intelligent transportation system is already being planned for the Des Moines Metropolitan Planning Office. “It should be finishing up in June,” he said.

Petri, chair of the surface and transportation subcommittee of the house transportation and infrastructure committee, will also discuss the future of planning and funding for surface transportation at the state and national level.

There is a prospect that Interstate-35 could be named an international trade superhighway.

Representative Greg Ganske (R-Iowa) will introduce Petri, and Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) will also speak. Boswell serves on the house transportation and infrastructure committee and Ganske serves on the house commerce committee.

Barbara Levering, press secretary for Ganske, said Ganske worked with Maze to find a speaker and agreed that a speech from Petri would benefit the students.

“Petri is a terrific speaker and no one is better in terms of service transportation. He has great depths of knowledge,” Levering said.

Petri will speak during a transportation seminar course at 10 a.m. in N147 Lagomarcino Hall.

Petri’s presentation will be broadcast to Ames High School, DOT Commission, University of Northern Iowa and Northern Iowa Community College by the Iowa Communications Network (ICN), Maze said.

If interested in attending Petri’s speech call the civil engineering department because there is limited seating available.