HDR Digital Delivery and Smart Transportation Leadership Featured in TR News

The signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in December made billions of dollars available for the United States’ transportation system of roads and bridges, transit upgrades and much more. As transportation agencies move forward, they will need to find methods to work smarter, more efficiently and more strategically. Building information modeling, or BIM, offers an opportunity for designers, owners and contractors to achieve these improvements.

In the July/August issue of TR News, HDR’s Transportation BIM Program Manager Alexa Mitchell explained how using BIM for project delivery results in time and cost savings for overall project delivery. Not only does BIM provide project visuals and 3D model-based deliverables, but it can also streamline lengthy, complicated processes such as compiling and checking earthwork quantities.

Mitchell also highlights challenges to the full adoption of BIM, including training and education materials, software compatibility, and adherence to traditional construction specifications. However, digital delivery is increasingly becoming the norm and the availability of funding opens numerous opportunities for technological innovation and advancement.

“While still evolving and growing, BIM is here to stay,” wrote Mitchell. “This shift will have major impacts and benefits for our industry across project delivery, from design all the way through asset management. Now is the time for highway agencies to create or review strategic plans that will guide them as they set goals and objectives, set expectations and timelines, and plan and identify investment needs for specific activities related to digital delivery.”

Read more in "BIM for Infrastructure: Crafting a Smarter Transportation Future," republished with permission from TR News.

Mitchell previously assisted the Federal Highway Administration in the development of technical guidance documents and policies for BIM. Currently, she continues her BIM leadership through her involvement with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' Joint Technical Committee on Electronic Engineering Standards, Transportation Research Board, the Highway Engineering Exchange Program and buildingSMART.