GARRETT A. MORGAN TRANSPORTATION ACHIEVEMENT SCHOLARSHIP

Garrett Morgan was an inventor and businessman - a man whose lifetime achievement is a model of dedication to public service, safety, and technological innovation.

In fact, Morgan's three-position traffic signal, for which he received a patent in 1923, could be considered the forerunner of modern intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Prior to his invention, most traffic signs in use had only two positions: stop and go. These manually operated two-position signals were an improvement over uncontrolled intersections, but because they allowed no interval between stop and go commands, collisions at busy intersections were common.

Morgan's signal was a T-shaped pole that featured three positions: stop, go, and an all-direction stop position. This third position halted traffic in all directions before vehicles were allowed to proceed on either of the intersection's roads. This feature not only made it less dangerous for motorists to travel through intersections but also allowed pedestrians to cross safely. Just before his death in 1963, the U.S. government gave him an award for his invention.

Morgan also developed a number of other inventions, including a gas mask that was later refined for use by U S soldiers during World War I He life showed dedication to public service, safety, and technological innovation. Mr. Morgan’s lifetime achievement is a model of dedication to public service, safety, and technological innovation.

This scholarship in his name is meant to inspire students to choose careers in transportation so that this nation will have the skilled workforce needed to operate and maintain the world's best transportation system.