As Highway Maintenance Costs Rise 68%
As Highway Maintenance Costs Rise 68%: With highway construction costs increasing by 68% nationwide since 2020, Virginia transportation officials are exploring artificial intelligence to enhance cost estimation and pavement maintenance management.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) faces financial challenges due to rising material and labor costs, supply chain disruptions, fuel expenses, and unpredictable weather conditions, all of which complicate forecasting and budgeting.
“With our ongoing commitment to improving data collection and management, this is an opportune time for VDOT to explore AI’s potential in enhancing decision-making,” said VDOT Chief Deputy Commissioner Kathy McGhee in a statement to the Mercury.
As construction expenses escalate, McGhee highlighted that AI-driven insights will help VDOT optimize investments in maintenance and repair. “Rising construction costs make data-driven investment decisions more critical than ever,” she said. “While AI has numerous potential applications, our initial pilots will focus on cost estimation and pavement maintenance, where the financial impact is substantial.”
Virginia manages one of the largest state-controlled highway networks in the U.S., encompassing nearly 60,000 miles of highways, with at least 10,000 miles located in cities and towns. Over the past decade, VDOT has added 3,200 miles of lanes to its maintenance inventory.
Pavement renewal costs have surged by 45% since 2019, and VDOT is responsible for an expanding array of maintenance projects, including pothole repairs, road resurfacing, and roadside tree trimming.
During a recent presentation to the Commonwealth Transportation Board’s Innovation Subcommittee, McGhee and VDOT staff outlined the objectives of the AI pilot projects, emphasizing that AI technology could offer deeper insights into pavement life cycles beyond the agency’s current data capabilities.
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration and state lawmakers are preparing Virginia for AI integration across various sectors, including communications, healthcare, and security. However, concerns over AI misuse in politics have led to increased scrutiny and regulatory efforts.
As Highway Maintenance Costs Rise 68%
Last year, Youngkin signed an executive order establishing AI standards and guidelines for government use, forming a working group to assist lawmakers in developing safeguards for responsible AI implementation.
The governor is currently reviewing multiple AI-related bills passed by the General Assembly, including House Bill 2094, introduced by Delegate Michelle Maldonado (D-Manassas), which would set requirements for the development, implementation, and use of high-risk AI systems, along with civil penalties for noncompliance.
Other proposed measures seek to restrict social media use for individuals under 16, impose severe penalties for AI-generated deepfakes used in fraud, defamation, and other offenses, and mandate disclosure of AI-generated political advertisements.
As Highway Maintenance Costs Rise 68%
As Virginia awaits Youngkin’s final decisions on AI legislation, Maldonado expressed interest in VDOT’s AI pilot projects. “I think this is a great start,” she said. “This is a smart way to use AI to augment, rather than replace, the human element, providing better data analysis and potentially improving traffic flow.”