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U.S. DOT Boosts Digital Construction in 10 States with $34M Grant

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the grant funding, allocated under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to propel digital construction tools such as computer modeling and 3D design in 10 state DOTs.

Washington,,Dc,-,April,21,,2019:,Us,Department,Of,Transportation
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The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) last week announced the allocation of $34 million in grants for 10 projects across 10 states to help create and expand digital construction management systems.

The funds will go toward transportation agencies in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington state.

“The 10 projects selected for funding will help advance digital construction nationwide because they will serve as models for other state and local transportation agencies to adopt these best practices,” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said in a recent press release. “These technologies will help us more quickly deliver the transportation system of the 21st century.”

The California DOT plans to leverage the funds to facilitate better data management across the state’s project delivery cycle to reduce the need for paperwork and streamline processes, while the Connecticut DOT will use the funding to update its existing, cloud-based project delivery and document management system, according to the press release.

The Delaware DOT’s funding will go toward automating data collection processes to streamline operations, allowing for increased efficiency.

The grant funding will enable the Illinois DOT to establish a digital information-sharing network for future construction operations. The Iowa DOT will utilize the funds to enhance digital construction standards and processes, aiming to capture, share and store information related to state-owned utilities, bridges and pavement materials.

The Minnesota and Oklahoma DOTs are planning to use the grant to update asset and digital data management systems, streamlining data storage, and tracking progress throughout construction.

Pennsylvania will use its funding to develop an open data approach to eliminate the need for paper plans and make it easier to exchange information digitally between design and construction teams.

Utah transportation officials will use the funding to improve digital data collection tools and implement additional training protocols for their design personnel and project reviewers, and the Washington State DOT plans to utilize the funding to enhance current automated processes focused on collecting traffic control information for roadway signs at intersections and ADA curb ramps.