America’s roads and bridges are essential for the economy and our daily lives, which makes the mounting pressures on these assets even more urgent.

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry can address short-term operational and long-term resilience challenges by leveraging key emerging technologies, leading the way forward to a more robust and sustainable transportation network.

At the center of this shift is a fundamental question: How can agencies move beyond reactive maintenance and toward proactive, data-driven stewardship of infrastructure assets? The answer lies in the convergence of digital tools, real-time data and automated processes that allow stakeholders to see, understand and manage infrastructure in new ways.

From how assets are inspected and designed to how they are built, monitored and maintained, emerging technologies are reshaping the full lifecycle of transportation systems—and redefining what resilience actually looks like in practice.

Defining Long-Term Resilience

The industry’s evolving definition of resilience reflects a wider shift in how transportation agencies view their role today, which is more than just construction and maintenance. Agencies have become akin to service providers who are responsible for safe, reliable and efficient movement of people and goods.

Resilience refers to an asset’s capacity to anticipate, prepare, withstand, respond, adapt and recover from physical and digital deterioration, during regular operations or natural disasters and cyber-attacks. Once a road, bridge or an intelligent transportation system asset is built, it is expected to serve motorists for generations, which means that long-term resilience demands holistic solutions that account for all physical, environmental and technological risks.

A more robust ability to withstand stress, recover and adapt can be accomplished with the help of several emerging industry technologies.

Capturing Reality

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, have become indispensable for infrastructure inspection, planning and maintenance. They also support traffic operations in incident and safety management.

Drones enable fast, safe and cost-effective data collection in areas that are difficult or hazardous to access. For example, bridge inspections that have required lane closures and specialized equipment can now be performed quickly and safely with drones, reducing risk for workers and minimizing traffic disruption.

The integration of drone data with imaging technologies, such as LiDAR and photogrammetry, has enhanced the industry’s ability to monitor asset conditions and respond to emergencies. This is the most widely recognized part of the industry’s broader trend toward “reality capture”—leveraging advanced sensors and imaging technologies to create detailed, accurate digital representations of infrastructure assets. These data sets are crucial for long-term asset management, as well as planning, design and construction.

FAA regulations are also expected to allow for more extensive inspections of assets and facilities over a wider coverage area. This is part of the proposed Part 108 regulatory framework, which will enable further evolution for this emerging technology.

Data Integration

The transition to open data and process standards-based technology has been a major breakthrough in infrastructure lifecycle management.

Approaches like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are eliminating information silos to create seamless collaboration among project stakeholders.

Digital delivery allows agencies to create, manage and share unified data throughout an asset’s lifecycle. Data collected during planning and design can now inform construction, maintenance and operations, creating a continuous feedback loop that enables more efficient project delivery.

One of the most significant advantages of digital delivery is the ability to integrate data from multiple sources across asset lifecycles—from cradle-to-cradle. For example, BIM models can be linked with GIS data, sensor readings and maintenance records to provide a more comprehensive view of an asset’s condition and performance. This integration supports advanced analytics, predictive maintenance such as artificial intelligence and opportunities for more effective resource allocation.

Robotics and Automation

Workflow and process automation—enabled by digital technologies and processes—are crucial to maintenance operations. The AEC industry is adopting workflow and process automation to streamline work, reduce manual effort and improve efficiencies while maintaining quality.

One example of this is automated machine guidance, in which construction equipment is directed by digital models. Contractors have embraced this approach because it improves efficiency and reduces errors. Automated systems that leverage robotics can precisely control equipment based on digital designs, minimizing manual intervention and reducing the risk of mistakes.

Another example is robotic inspection systems, such as land-based robots and underwater drones. These are helping to monitor critical infrastructure—such as bridges, culverts, tunnels or piers—while also promoting safety.

Automation is also reshaping the creation of digital as-builts and digital twins to support asset management, maintenance and preservation, and capital program planning. Automated processes are powered by advanced AI and machine learning models to continuously analyze sensor data, field inspection results and historical performance information. This detects failures early, prioritizes maintenance actions, flags risks and reduces unplanned disruptions.

Standardizing Data

One of the most persistent challenges facing the AEC industry is data fragmentation. Valuable information is too often trapped in paper records, incompatible digital formats or isolated databases. This hampers efforts to share and analyze the information, and it often leads to redundant, inefficient efforts.

A national effort is underway to standardize data terms, definitions, naming conventions and formats within the industry, aiming to eliminate these frustrations. The goal is to build interoperable software systems that enable seamless data sharing and collaboration.

For example, WSP is leading a national ‘pooled fund’ initiative with multiple state departments of transportation (DOTs) to develop standardized data dictionaries and information models for highway infrastructure, which can then be aligned with similar international standards for the built environment.

Considering Return on Investment (ROI)

Industry agencies and contractors are witnessing tangible benefits when adopting emerging technologies. For starters, they avoid unnecessary costs by preventing expensive, duplicative efforts. They also minimize errors and streamline workflows to focus time and resources where they matter most and connect data across different silos of information to enable greater insights into infrastructure assets.

WSP has developed ROI frameworks to help agencies evaluate these emerging technologies. These ROI frameworks measure cost savings, while also assessing each technology’s broader impacts, such as improved safety, reduced environmental footprint and enhanced resilience.

By embracing digital delivery methods and technologies, agencies and contractors are reducing their reliance on paper plans and minimizing the number of change orders, leading directly to greater savings, better communications and stronger decision-making.

In most cases, when a new technology or process “just makes sense” because it simplifies workflows, improves outcomes or addresses a critical need, agencies adopt it quickly. However, considerable barriers remain to adoption.

Factors of Resistance

Some of the most significant barriers to adoption are state regulations, legacy practices, funding and “technology fatigue.”

In many states, paper plans are still legally required for official legal records. This limits the use of digital models and forces contractors to duplicate work, because they must digitize those paper plans to create the models that they need for automated equipment.

Even when 3D digital models offer greater value, the industry continues to rely heavily on 2D plans for traditional workflows. A key reason is that most industry software was originally designed for 2D drafting, making it difficult to transition to model-based workflows.

These issues are made even more difficult under limited budgets. Many agencies have procurement processes that aren’t designed to support innovation, making it difficult to justify investments in new technologies.

Beyond those challenges, there’s the issue of technology fatigue among field personnel when new tools create complexity instead of simplifying work. This is part of the human factor when it comes to successfully adopting these technologies. These tools must work for everyone in the value chain – not just for those in the office, but also for those in the field, who are responsible for implementing and maintaining these new systems. The process requires training, transparency and comprehensive support for the workforce.

Industry-Wide Collaboration

Emerging technologies are transforming how we deliver and maintain America’s roads and bridges. But to achieve this vision, industry stakeholders must work together to break down barriers, invest in workforce development and champion innovation.

The stakeholders involved represent a wide range of actors, including Federal Highway Administration leadership, who can provide further policy direction, best practice guidance and programmatic support to better enable adoption of digital delivery and emerging technologies.

Then there are state DOTs and local agencies, who play a central role in piloting these technologies as the owners/operators of the transportation infrastructure itself.

These technologies, of course, come from industry-leading innovators who are helping to modernize infrastructure delivery standards and to mainstream improved project operations.

Other key players include associations such as the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Association of General Contractors and the American Council of Civil Engineers, who help set the industry’s standards and guidelines, and organizations like the Transportation Research Board who conduct the research needed to craft new best practices.

Altogether, this is an ecosystem that needs collaboration to accelerate the overall scale of adoption and progress.

Redefining Long-Term Success

Emerging technologies are transforming how we deliver and maintain America’s roads and bridges. By embracing UAVs, digital delivery, automation and data standardization, the AEC industry is laying the foundation for a stronger, more resilient transportation network.

To achieve this vision, industry stakeholders must work together to break down barriers, invest in workforce development and champion innovation. Because the future of our nation’s infrastructure depends on our willingness to adapt, collaborate and lead.

Jagannath Mallela, PhD, is a senior vice president and managing director of digital consulting services and strategic innovation at WSP in the U.S. Chris Harman, P.E., is senior vice president and transportation and infrastructure director of digital delivery and innovation at WSP in the U.S.