At most construction industry conventions, the action is outside with the equipment demonstrations. But when Roads & Bridges attends a show, we often gravitate towards the education sessions.
The education sessions and panel discussions are where you learn about the trends and best practices that are shaping the industry. It’s where you see how emerging technology will change the way we work. It’s where you connect with someone who is facing the same challenges as you in another corner of the country.
That’s what Roads & Bridges is about, and it won’t change at the Las Vegas Convention Center this week at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026.
This week, CONEXPO will feature more than 150 education sessions, including specialized workshops that are designed to help industry professionals work safer and more efficiently.
The sessions cover areas such as aggregates, asphalt, business best practices, community, concrete, equipment management and maintenance, safety and health, sustainability, technology and workforce.
Starting Tuesday, Roads & Bridges will be in Las Vegas to interview thought leaders and experts at CONEXPO, and here are some of the education sessions that have caught our eye:
Controlling Traffic Inside the Work Zone
9:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 3
West Hall 203
Presented by Robinson Vasquez, safety training manager at American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), this session looks at how there are currently no dedicated federal regulations specifically focused on controlling the movement of heavy equipment to prevent runover and backover incidents within American work zones.
To address this gap, ARTBA has collaborated with the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and major roadway construction firms to identify effective strategies and develop practical safety training resources that help workers and supervisors reduce injuries and fatalities.
Vasquez will explore key insights from this initiative, while also examining complimentary tools and materials created to safeguard roadway construction workers around the world.
Building Tomorrow: How Digital Advancements are Shaping the Construction Industry
1 p.m., Tuesday, March 3
West Hall 212
Equipment operators today look for machines that deliver more than mechanical capability. They expect integrated digital intelligence that supports efficiency and data-driven decision-making. In response, manufacturers are incorporating advanced software and connected technologies that improve machine output and jobsite productivity.
During this session, Garrett Maurer, director of global digital products at Bobcat, will explore how innovations such as telematics, advanced sensors and connected digital platforms are reshaping equipment performance and influencing customer results.
Participants will gain a clearer understanding of currently available technologies, practical ways to apply them effectively and insight into where these advancements are headed.
The session will highlight how these evolving tools strengthen accuracy, efficiency and return on investment — enabling operators and business owners to get the most from their equipment and technology.
AI and Construction Safety, Real Examples, Real Results
9:30 a.m., Thursday, March 5
West Hall 213
Artificial intelligence is a constant topic of conversation, but how does it truly apply to the construction industry? More importantly, can it help address one of construction’s most persistent challenges — safety?
In this session, Josh Kanner, senior director of product strategy at Oracle, will explore practical, real-world examples of AI being used to improve safety performance in construction.
The presentation will also provide clear guidance on where AI solutions can deliver measurable impact and how organizations can begin applying them effectively.
Asphalt Pavement Forensics
10:45 a.m., Thursday, March 5
West Hall 225
A high-performing asphalt overlay depends on thoroughly evaluating the existing pavement and addressing underlying surface and structural issues before work begins. This session will show participants how to identify various pavement distress types and severity levels using the LTPP Distress Identification Manual, and how to perform pavement forensic evaluations to determine the root causes of those distresses so they can be properly resolved.
Buzz Powell, a P.E. who serves as technical director at the Asphalt Pavement Alliance, and who has two stories in the March issue of Roads & Bridges, will present this lecture.
Powell will enable attendees to accurately identify pavement distresses, determine their underlying causes through forensic analysis and apply corrective measures to support long-lasting asphalt overlays.
The session emphasizes practical approaches to diagnosing pavement conditions and implementing effective solutions that improve overlay performance and durability.
This is just a sample of the some of the amazing lectures CONEXPO has in store for attendees in Las Vegas this week. If you can’t make the trip, please stay tuned to our website for coverage and interviews with the leaders who are shaping the industry.
About the Author
Gavin Jenkins, Senior Managing Editor
Senior Managing Editor
Gavin Jenkins is an award-winning journalist based in Pittsburgh. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, VICE, Narrative.ly, Prevention, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Beijing Review.
In 2020, two stories he wrote for Pitt Med Magazine earned three Golden Quill Awards from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania. “Surviving Survival” won Excellence in Corporate, Marketing and Promotional Communications – Written, Medical/Health, while “Oct. 27, 2018: Pittsburgh’s Darkest Day, and the Mass Casualty Response” won Excellence in Written Journalism, Magazines – Medical/Health, as well as the Ray Sprigle Memorial Award: Magazines, a Best in Show award.
After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 2003, he covered sports for the Bedford Gazette, in Bedford, Pa., and the Martinsville Bulletin, in Martinsville, Va. In 2006, he returned to Pittsburgh to write for Trib Total Media. Based out of the Kittanning Leader Times, he worked for the Trib for two years, and then he moved to Shenzhen, China, to teach English and freelance. After two years in China, he earned an MFA in nonfiction from the University of Pittsburgh.
When he's not at work, he's usually playing with his border-collie mix, Bob.