UC receives $5.1M grant to accelerate transit construction projects

The University of Cincinnati is set to receive around $5.1 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration to develop digital platforms that speed up and enhance transit construction projects, ultimately cutting costs. 

Advanced digital construction management systems use technologies like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data integration, modeling and simulation, and real-time data processing to streamline and coordinate work processes across an organization throughout the project, according to the FTA.

Many transit agencies have implemented elements of construction management, such as program management systems, online document management systems, and asset management systems. However, few have adopted a solution that integrates all functions and processes for an infrastructure program.

The FTA funding will enable UC to help test the Accelerating Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems Program. This program allows transit agencies to test digital construction technologies in real-world project settings, determine their feasibility, understand the impacts, and assess the usefulness of the results.

Selected through a competitive process, UC has an extensive background in research, access to university labs, and technical expertise, the FTA said in its announcement. The team includes faculty who will conduct the study and demonstrations, as well as staff from the Southwest Ohio Regional Transportation Authority, the Butler County Regional Transit Authority and Akron Metro in northeast Ohio.

The results of the demonstrations will go toward producing a guide for other transit agencies with best practices in planning and deploying advanced digital construction management solutions.

Money comes for the grant comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed last year.

“Our goal is to help transit agencies complete projects on time, on task, and on budget,” said FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “Today’s selection will help us achieve this by improving efficiency and providing tools that reduce construction delays and costs, and enable workers to perform tasks faster, safer, and more accurately.”