Replica’s Post

🌉 New Data Initiative to Inform Future Bridge Investments 🌉 A collaboration between Replica, Alta Planning + Design, and HEAVY.AI has enriched the National Bridge Database, providing a fresh perspective on the condition and criticality of the nation’s bridges. This project focuses on equitable access for disadvantaged communities and introduces a Criticality Score for each bridge. Key Insights: Higher rates of Poor condition in bridges located in Areas of Persistent Poverty. Increased walking and biking trips on bridges in Poor condition. Texas, Louisiana, and California lead in bridges with high Criticality scores. For a comprehensive look at the data and its implications for infrastructure investments, explore the detailed blog post. 🌐🔎 https://lnkd.in/grcEEcJc #DataInnovation #Infrastructure #Equity #UrbanDevelopment #BridgeSafety

🌉 France Takes the Lead in Nationwide Bridge Inspection & Assessment 🇫🇷 In an impressive nationwide initiative, France is setting new standards in infrastructure management and safety. Utilizing cutting-edge geospatial technology, the country has embarked on a comprehensive bridge inspection and assessment program to ensure the longevity and reliability of its transportation network. Discover how this approach is revolutionizing infrastructure maintenance and what it means for the future of urban planning and public safety. #Infrastructure #GeospatialTechnology #UrbanPlanning #PublicSafety #France

WASHINGTON, D.C. /May 14, 2024 /USDOT -- The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (#FRA) today issued a Notice of #Funding Opportunity (#NOFO) that makes available over $2 billion in Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program funding for projects located on the Northeast Corridor (Fed State-NEC). The corridor supports 800,000 passengers per day and billions of dollars in annual economic activity. Modernizing this critical #infrastructure to provide safer, faster and more reliable passenger #rail service for travelers and commuters is a key part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The available funding announced today builds on historic Northeast Corridor investments by the Biden-Harris Administration, including funding to advance major projects like the Gateway Program Hudson River Tunnel Project in New York and New Jersey, the Fredrick Douglass Tunnel and Susquehanna River Bridge Replacement Programs in Maryland, the Connecticut River Bridge Replacement in Connecticut, the New York Penn Station Access Project, and more. After decades of federal underinvestment, funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law finally has the Northeast Corridor on track to meet the needs of 21st century travelers and commuters. Last year, FRA awarded $16.4 billion for 25 projects of national significance along the corridor, which runs from Boston, MA, to Washington, DC. These unprecedented investments will rebuild tunnels and bridges that are over 100 years old; upgrade tracks, power systems, signals, stations, and other infrastructure; and advance future projects to significantly improve travel times by increasing operating speeds and reducing delays. Image Source | (©schaerfsystem | pixabay)

GIS plays a crucial role in Asset Management, empowering decision-makers with both long and short-term asset plans, especially in time of emergency events. #utilities #water #gis

What Does The Middle Mile Cost? Update, new information: A new US government grant has been announced for middle mile construction: $930 million for 12,000 miles of networks in multiple states including Alaska. That's $77,500 per mile. LA Times https://lnkd.in/gC5NnHqD. The Maine Online Optical Statewide Enabling Network (MOOSE Net) is a new strategic initiative created by the Maine Connectivity Authority to develop a $53 million project to construct the MOOSE Net that includes 530 miles of fiber. That's $100,000 per mile but includes connections. Maine MOOSE Net https://lnkd.in/gpjRB8e8. That, of course, is an impossible question to answer. But one can find interesting data from public contracts. California is building about 10,000 miles (~16,000 km) of middle mile fiber networks around the state, primarily using roadways for routes. The state just announced that 5 contracts were awarded covering 5,200 miles (~8,400 km) and they provided information on the geographic region of the contracts, mileage and contract amount. Not surprisingly, the flat rural Central Valley and Rural/desert areas come in the lowest, urban areas are higher, but the surprise is the Northern California area which is rural, but also rugged terrain, comes in high also. You can read the California Dept. of Technology announcement here https://lnkd.in/gKwGjr6a.

GIS Mapping of National Highways: Enhancing Planning and Monitoring In a significant move aimed at improving the efficiency of planning, execution, and monitoring of India's National Highways (NHs), the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has initiated the GIS mapping of all NHs across the country. Under this initiative, project implementing units of various agencies, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), have been instructed to mark their jurisdiction on a dashboard. This marks a crucial step towards standardizing GIS-based data collection for all NHs. The primary objective of this Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to streamline data collection, ensure accuracy and reliability, and facilitate effective communication related to the highway system. By defining responsibility areas for each NH and utilizing GIS-based mapping, the SOP aims to enhance transparency and communication flow. The Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) in Gandhinagar has played a pivotal role in GIS mapping large portions of NHs. This data has been updated and verified by field units of different agencies, bringing the mapping process closer to completion. One of the key benefits of GIS mapping is its ability to assist in highway construction by providing crucial information on alignments and potential obstructions. With the mapping process nearing completion, agencies can begin work on new highway alignments at an accelerated pace, contributing to the goal of achieving 50 km of highway construction per day. Furthermore, uploading the entire NH network onto a single unified platform, irrespective of the executing agency, will help avoid duplication and ensure seamless coordination among all stakeholders. In conclusion, the GIS mapping of National Highways represents a significant step towards enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and communication in India's highway infrastructure development. As the mapping process nears completion, it is expected to revolutionize the way highways are planned, executed, and monitored in the country.

🌴 Buckle up, Miami! 🎙️ I'm hitting the stage at Infraday to moderate a powerhouse panel on Feb. 8th for 4M Analytics We'll dive into how AI is redefining the utility industry and why digital transformation isn't just a buzzword—but the lifeline for the future of our nation's critical infrastructure. So, why does the utility industry need a digital transformation? Let me set the stage. 👇 📈 RISE IN INFRASTRUCTURE DEMAND In 2024 alone, under The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Department of Transportation plans to allocate $145.3 billion to update critical infrastructure throughout our nation. But the thing is...we're already contending with a $1 trillion repair and maintenance backlog that spans 619,000 bridges and 4 million miles of public roads. And since the enactment of IIJA, only 69,000 miles of roadways and 3,700 bridges have undergone repair or replacement nationwide. 😬 📉 LABOR SHORTAGE Compounding these challenges, we have a critical shortage of civil engineers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a need for 25,000 new civil engineers annually just to offset attrition, not accounting for the additional labor required to meet increasing infrastructure demands. 💰 INEFFICIENT CONVENTIONAL METHODS Additionally, the industry's dependence on conventional methods like manual utility record research and utility coordination is proving unsustainable. Fragmented, inaccurate, or non-existent data exacerbates these headwinds. 💰 DAMAGES CONTINUE TO RISE Add to that, $5 billion is spent annually on 'Damage Prevention,' yet utility strikes are 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 rising. There were 220,000 strikes or near misses in 2021 alone, and the repair costs of these incidents amount to $1.5 billion yearly, indicating a -70% ROI. Math was never my forte, but I'm pretty sure that's bad 😅 The reality? We're at a crossroads. Demand is surging, seasoned pros are retiring, fresh talent is scarce, and our current utility mapping methods are relics. Failure to modernize will jeopardize not just our projects but the future of national infrastructure itself. This pressing reality underscores the urgent need for a digital transformation in the utility industry. 💡 And as Shailen Bhatt, Federal Highway Administrator, put it on the InfraTalk America Podcast, "We can't build projects in the 21st century like we did in the 20th century; it's a different world out there." Joining me in this thought-provoking discussion are industry experts: -Wes Kaisershot, PE, VP, Director of Engineering, SurvWest -Daniel Checchia, National Discipline Leader, Colliers Engineering & Design -Andrea Suarez Abastida, PMP, Director of Public Utilities, City of North Miami Beach -Alejandro Gomez-Pina, Division Vice President, MasTec See you there! ___ #digitaltransformation #infrastructuredevelopment #utilitymapping #utilityindustry #AI #UtilityAIMapping

The recording and assessing of road data is essential in maintaining a high performing road network. Many factors make this difficult, so Roads & Infrastructure Magazine looked at what technologies can assist. #infrastructure #construction #technology #innovation #safety #roadsafety #roaddata #data #analysis #AI | Civiltech Solutions, Leigh Carnall, Cyvl.ai

Last week, the Federal Highway Administration announced their latest round of AID Demonstration Program grants. The $8.8 million, which was made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will go towards accelerating innovation in highway projects across the federal aid highway program. Arizona will receive $970,000 to implement new technology that improves safety and reduces delays in work zones. Moreover, Iowa will receive $1 million to advance its work on digital as-builts and e-Ticketing. FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt said in a statement that, “Innovation is essential for the future of transportation infrastructure and these grants will help our State, local, and Tribal partners to improve safety, increase the resilience of our transportation infrastructure, and combat the climate crisis.” Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eTHeM7UW #Transportation #Infrastructure #Grants #Innovation #BipartisanInfrastructureLaw #DigitalAsBuilts #DigitalProjectDelivery #eTicketing #WorkZoneSafety

𝐍𝐇𝐀𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐈𝐒-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞. Leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) significantly improves the accuracy of identifying and assessing land parcels. This approach will undoubtedly accelerate the land acquisition process. To know more you can check out this article