The DOT’s successful data integration promises safer, smoother-flowing work zones.
Early last month, a common setback occurred in the middle of a day of planned road construction projects in Delaware: It unexpectedly started raining.
But thanks to a groundbreaking digital construction demonstration project that was in its early stages, Delaware DOT was able to communicate to drivers in real-time the status of the road, SR 72. A planned road closure was postponed, and drivers were notified of the change in status almost immediately. This was possible because of a real-time data integration and partnership between the DOT and the navigation app Waze.
Delaware DOT announced the breakthrough in a detailed storyboard this week.
The demonstration began this fall. DelDOT worked with Delaware-based contractor Greggo & Ferrara Inc., which agreed to open access to data from its construction equipment to the DOT. The pilot allowed the agency to receive real-time information about the status and location of paving and milling equipment. Combined with its already in-place system for e-Ticketing, DelDOT’s integrated construction management software also allowed the agency to track materials delivery information — and avoid potentially dangerous in-person inspections.
The technology and processes used in this demonstration project on State Route 72 — which was piloted using the traditional manual data inputs and safeguards — will be expanded across the state next year to include additional willing contractors, DelDOT reports.
“The advancements in real-time data integration are more than technological achievements; they mark a pivotal shift in workforce development within the construction industry,” the agency said in its storyboard. “By integrating real-time data into construction management, the industry is taking a significant step towards a more modernized, sophisticated job site that resonates with a tech-savvy workforce.”
