From Field Crews to Fleet Data: Rethinking Roadway Inspections for 2026 and Beyond
Across the United States, transportation agencies are responsible for millions of miles of public roadways. Maintaining these networks is expensive, and a substantial portion of the maintenance budget is allocated to gathering condition survey data. Traditional roadway inspection methods rely heavily on manual fieldwork by trained crews and specialized vehicles. These methods are labor-intensive, costly, […]
How Hawai‘i Is Modernizing Road Maintenance With AI: Inside The AI Effort Helping Hawai‘i Stay on the Move
Hawai‘i is so rich in natural beauty that in parts of the world its name is shorthand for paradise. But exploring that paradise depends on something far more prosaic: roads. Maintaining them is anything but easy. Sun, salty air, torrential rain, lush vegetation, and even volcanic activity take a relentless toll on roads and highways […]
The Case for a Mobile Sensor Network: Seeing More While Spending Less
Across the country, state and local transportation agencies face a similar dilemma. This is how to keep roads in good repair when inspection budgets haven’t kept pace with need and aging infrastructure. The traditional model of sending inspectors or contractors into the field to manually assess assets like pavement, signs, and roadway markings is time-consuming, […]
A Pothole’s Life Cycle: Forecasting the Future to Preserve the Present
Across the country, pothole lifecycle management is becoming a growing concern as roadways are constantly under pressure. Traffic, weather, and age can do significant damage over time. Potholes are visible signs of deeper pavement damage. For transportation agencies, the challenge goes far beyond repairing potholes. Instead, it’s about understanding how they form, tracking their progression, […]
From Reactive to Predictive: The Game-Changing Potential of Digital Twins for Road Networks
Across the country, transportation agencies tend to manage roads by responding to visible failures. Crews patch potholes when they appear, or a work order is filed when a sign goes missing. That reactive approach keeps networks functional in the short term, but it costs more over time and has the potential to become a significant […]
AI-Powered Imagery Intelligence: Unlock IIJA Funding Faster
AI-powered imagery intelligence is becoming central to how agencies plan and scope transportation projects, a shift that comes at a critical moment. In July 2025, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that only 59% of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds had been obligated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) as of April. […]
AI for Infrastructure Equity: Bridge the Data Divide Now
Across the United States, local and state transportation agencies are under pressure to maintain their aging infrastructure while also advancing equity goals set at the federal level. The core challenge: the data used to guide their investment is woefully uneven. This is where AI for infrastructure equity comes in, offering agencies a path to balance […]
NVIDIA Brings Physical AI technologies like Blyncsy to European Cities With New Blueprint for Smart City AI
Urban populations are expected to double by 2050, which means around 2.5 billion people could be added to urban areas by the middle of the century, driving the need for more sustainable urban planning and public services. Cities across the globe are turning to digital twins and AI agents for urban planning scenario analysis and data-driven operational decisions. Building […]
How a National Deregulatory Environment Could Accelerate Roadway Safety and Innovation
Across the United States, transportation agencies are struggling with limited time and budget. These limitations tend to make federal agencies’ reporting requirements more difficult. The reporting requirements may contribute to resource limitations in other areas. Consider the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) as an example. It was initially developed in 1978 as a continuing database. […]
Time to Get Digital: Update the Highway Performance Monitoring System and Create a National Digital Infrastructure Map
Federal, state, and local transportation agencies frequently discuss the urgent need to modernize and update our nation’s infrastructure. Less discussed is the need to extend that need beyond physical roadways. However, the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) example shows that digital infrastructure may require the most attention. Originally developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation […]
