On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced it had awarded projects in 10 states $34 million to help with digital construction.
The funding, part of the Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems (ADCMS) program will promote efforts like computer modeling and 3D design, and state-of-the-art practices that accelerate project delivery and reduce delays and cost overruns. Part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the program will provide $85 million in grants over five years.
“The ten 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. “With funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these technologies will help us more quickly deliver the transportation system of the 21st century.”
Projects selected in this round of funding focus on information-sharing, reduced reliance on paper and increasing productivity and cost savings during project delivery. The goal, officials said, was for the projects to serve as model for adopting and deploying digital construction on a national scale.
Included in the grants are $5 million for the Utah Department of Transportation to improve digital data collection tools in the field and train design personnel and project reviewers on their use. The Iowa Department of Transportation will received $1,501,200 to improve digital construction standards and processes to capture, share and store information about state-owned utilities, bridges and pavement methods. And the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will receive more than $3 million to develop and implement a digital project delivery plan for managing assets, streamlining data storage, and tracking progress throughout construction.