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Dive Brief:
- The Federal Highway Administration has awarded 10 states the first grants from the federal government’s Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems program, worth a combined $34 million, the agency announced Nov. 16.
- The funding program, established under the bipartisan $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, is one aspect of the FHWA’s Technology Deployment and Innovation Program and exists under this broader umbrella as a source of cash for state departments of transportation. Grants will flow through these DOTs to private construction companies working on awarded jobs.
- Most of this year’s grants focus on information sharing, reducing reliance on paper and increasing productivity and cost savings during project delivery, according to the release. FHWA hopes that these constructions will serve as models for the adoption and deployment of digital construction technologies on a national scale.
Diving knowledge:
The TIDP receives $550 million over five years, or $110 million annually, and funds various transportation and highway research efforts. The program has been in place since 2013, and was continued with the FAST Act in 2016 and the IIJA in 2021.
ADCMS, which draws from the TIDP pot, has $85 million over the next five yearswith the current $34 million allocated in fiscal years 2022 and 2023. That means additional aid is limited until fiscal year 2024, when the program will provide a combined $17 million in grants for new projects every year.
Money is a decrease of previous estimates of $100 millionwhich the FHWA blamed on additional costs such as training and other peer programs.
“The ten projects selected for funding will help advance digital construction across the country by serving as models for other state and local transportation agencies to adopt these best practices,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt.
The awarded constructions are:
| Applicant’s name | Project descriptions | award |
|---|---|---|
| Utah DOT | Utah transportation officials will use the funding to improve digital data collection tools in the field and train their design staff and project reviewers to use them for construction projects as early as 2024-2025. By expanding GIS and CMaps tools, Utah transportation officials will be able to streamline field inspections and provide predictable reporting and assessments. | $5,000,000 |
| Illinois DOT | Illinois transportation officials will use the funding to establish a digital information-sharing network for future construction operations. This network would reduce the use of paper reports, provide greater efficiency in real-time data collection, enable 3D modeling and digital aerial surveys to improve accuracy and promote the use of information sharing through cloud storage. Other benefits include reducing worker exposure to on-site surveys in hazardous work zones and environmentally sensitive areas and the ability to share data with local governments, state agencies and other state organizations. | $4,500,000 |
| Connecticut DOT | Connecticut transportation officials will use the funding to upgrade the existing cloud-based project delivery and document management system. These improvements will eliminate the use of paper and move to 3D models for work orders, records, reports and correspondence while laying the foundation for better digital management of future construction projects. The upgrades will also make it easier to share real-time information with federal and state agencies, as well as contractors and others, minimizing delays and cost overruns. | $4,497,696 |
| Delaware DOT | Delaware transportation officials plan to use the funding to automate data collection processes that would reduce time spent on routine, labor-intensive activities at work sites, while freeing up time for more skilled work. By leveraging accurate, real-time data on construction projects, agency inspections, and quality control measures, these improvements would also reduce worker exposure to hazardous working conditions and improve employee and public safety that travels through work zones. Delaware DOT also plans to partner with the private sector in this effort. | $4,000,000 |
| California DOT | California will use the funding to facilitate better data management throughout the state’s project delivery cycle using a model successfully deployed by the UK’s National Highways Agency. The project will reduce the need for formalities and streamline processes. | $3,920,800 |
| Pennsylvania DOT | Pennsylvania plans to use its funding to develop an open data standard that would eliminate the need for paper plans and facilitate the exchange of information digitally between design and construction teams. Training for Pennsylvania DOT staff and contractors would ensure that transportation officials and those in related industries develop knowledge and skills in advanced technology and state-of-the-art computer systems. | $3,910,000 |
| DOT of Oklahoma | Oklahoma transportation officials will use the funding to develop and implement a digital project delivery plan to manage assets, streamline data storage and track progress during construction, including maintenance and operations phases. Other improvements include the use of GPS equipment and 3D models to make data collection faster and more efficient, such as purchasing equipment for construction inspections and training construction and design staff. | $3,079,440 |
| Minnesota DOT | Minnesota transportation officials will use the funds to upgrade digital data and asset management systems throughout the state’s construction cycle with the goal of improving decision-making, risk management and usage of mitigation strategies. Project funds will fill critical hardware, software and workforce training needs, allowing easier access to information on preliminary designs and construction plans, more warranties and quality assurance. | $2,160,000 |
| Iowa DOT | Iowa transportation officials will use the funds to improve digital construction standards and processes to capture, share and store information about state-owned utilities, bridges and pavement materials. In addition, project funds will help streamline asset management by enabling easy access to digital model data for use in bid preparation, achieving better project outcomes and reducing reliance on paper. When fully implemented, electronic information should help state officials make construction projects more efficient, thereby reducing the exposure of work zone workers to live traffic, distracted drivers and impaired drivers. | $1,501,200 |
| Washington DOT | Washington state transportation officials will use the funding to create automated processes aimed at collecting traffic control information for road signs at intersections and ADA curb ramps. These improvements will eliminate the need for workers to be in hazardous traffic conditions for data collection. It will also save time by reducing the need for paper reports and enable electronic data entry into 3D models to reach the public and other stakeholders more quickly. | $1,350,000 |
SOURCE: Federal Highway Administration
