Digital Infrastructure Solutions | HNTB

DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS

With a commitment to innovation, technical excellence and a deep understanding of the evolving digital landscape within the built environment, HNTB partners with our clients to craft and implement digital infrastructure solutions that drive connectivity, efficiency and growth.

OUR SERVICES

A comprehensive suite of innovative technology and digital services deliver customized innovations to meet the unique needs of our clients, including:

 Transportation Electrification

 Advanced Air Mobility

 Intelligent Mobility Solutions

 Asset Management

 Freight and Goods Mobility

 Virtual Design and Construction

 Virtual Public Involvement

 LIDAR/Reality Capture

 Alternative Fuel Fleet Transition

 Advanced Mobility Strategic Planning

 Data Management and Governance

 Toll Technology

 Bridge Design and Maintenance

 Grant Support

MADISON BELTLINE FLEX LANE

Location: Wisconsin

When the busiest highway in Madison, Wisconsin, faced heavy congestion during peak traffic periods and deteriorating roadway pavement, median concrete barrier and stormwater systems, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) set out to rehabilitate the roadway.

HNTB collaborated with WisDOT on the roadway, structures and overall design of the highway that carries U.S. Highways 12, 14, 18 and 151 along the west and south sides of Madison. WisDOT determined that an asphalt overlay along the eastern-most nine miles would prolong the pavement life and incorporate a part-time shoulder lane to improve traffic operations. These decisions resulted in extra added benefits at a much smaller cost compared to expansion alternatives.

Dynamic part-time shoulder use, branded in Wisconsin as the Flex Lane, is recognized as a safe and sustainable way to alleviate congestion. This was the first application in Wisconsin, providing a cost-effective way to improve traffic operations with less environmental impact.

HART AUTONOMOUS MOBILITY SERVICE

Location: Florida

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) sought to bring innovative technology to the Tampa Bay area while diversifying its array of options to deliver service to the region. As a first-of-its-kind deployment in the region, HNTB collaborated with HART to lead in the development of the concept of operations (ConOps), request for proposal and evaluation criteria for the Autonomous Mobility Service.

Throughout this process, HNTB worked to:

• Define minimum AV shuttle performance requirements and desired AV, CV, V2I, V2V, and V2X capabilities.

• Review proposals and provide owner guidance.

• Define operational goals.

• Provide operating system requirements, including adherence to Florida Statute 316 and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Safety Assessments.

• Outline the need for the vehicle to have the ability to read, interpret and react to traffic signs and signals and potential pathway intrusions or obstacles.

• Require communication systems and system security standards meet SAE requirements.

• Facilitate real-time remote data storage, transmittal and processing, and customer experience accommodations, such as ADA compliance, station identification, security and air conditioning.

HNTB also provided consultant support to review the viability of proposer organization plans, work plans, maintenance plans, safety plans and operating plans including incident response, video security, data management and vehicle dispatching.

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT MANAGEMENT APPLICATION

Location: Iowa

Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) wanted to increase the amount of public input it received into transportation projects, while also streamlining processes around administering public involvement activities and improving the consistency of data collection for both in-person and virtual public meetings.

HNTB’s digital innovators have been key resources to Iowa DOT in the development and continued enhancement of their virtual public involvement management platform called the Public Involvement Management Application (PIMA).

Input from stakeholders across hundreds of projects is stored in a central database, allowing Iowa DOT to view analytics and trends in all elements of stakeholder engagement to improve project decision-making. This intuitive, enterprising solution enables any public agency to manage the full process of public engagement on one or all its projects.

Key features of PIMA include:

• Manage meeting, invitation and attendance tracking.

• Configure comment forms with interactive mapping.

• Manage stakeholder conversation through email or text messaging.

• Track favorability and key topics across all project phases.

• Facilitate virtual live public meetings or incorporate virtual reality spaces.

• Measure equity, inclusion and communities of concern participation.

NATIONAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING

Location: Nationwide

HNTB has partnered with 12 departments of transportation from across the country to assist in the successful development of their National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Programs.

Each plan outlines how the individual states can build out an electric vehicle charging network to support the expansion of electric vehicle use, with a focus on specific benchmarks around issues of equity, sustainability, workforce development, safety and cyber security. These studies have been recognized for best industry practices by the Federal Highway Administration.

The firm provided consulting services to state departments of transportation in Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Tennessee. HNTB also consulted with the Washington D.C. Department of Transportation to assist in the development of their NEVI plan. HNTB is providing ongoing procurement or program management while supporting 15 states with the implementation of their NEVI plans.

MICHIGAN ANCILLARY STRUCTURES PROGRAM

Location: Michigan

A first-of-its-kind initiative for the state, the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT)

Ancillary Structures Program is set to revolutionize the DOT’s future public roadway operations and maintenance.

The program centers on the development and maintenance of an asset management system and database framework that will account for more than 70,000 ancillary structures across the state. Previously, no singular database existed to store or track information on these critical assets. As structures are inspected and inventoried into this new program, MDOT staff are now able to obtain and share real-time information on asset conditions, inspection progress, requests for action and more.

The Ancillary Structures Program is already providing an efficient and reliable digital infrastructure solution that allows the department to proactively prepare and take action on safety issues or costly fixes. As program management consultant, HNTB has been working alongside MDOT since the project’s conception.

FREIGHT OPERATIONS EXCHANGE

Location: Florida

HNTB is collaborating with the Florida Department of Transportation’s Motor Carrier Size and Weight Division to develop its Freight Operations Exchange (FOX), a centralized management and exchange platform that integrates data from various roadside devices, including those located at statewide weigh stations and virtual weigh-in-motion installations.

The data management platform supports the verification of commercial vehicle information against selected state and federal databases and is being expanded to include information on goods movements from additional sources, including existing traffic monitoring sites and major freight generators such as ports and terminals.

The FOX centralized hub allows users to view various performance measures in real time, accelerating operational modifications to increase safety and mobility. The system also provides an important connection between various facilities and partner agencies, including the intelligent transportation network, the oversize and overweight permit system, transportation data and analytics networks.

OHIO ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY FRAMEWORK

Location: Ohio

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) collaborated with HNTB to release the nation’s first Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) framework to support and position Ohio for anticipated advanced aviation growth. HNTB developed the commissioned study and prepared the framework for the safe, efficient and equitable transportation of people and goods throughout the state.

By capturing the existing AAM ecosystem, Ohio specific activities, route planning considerations and recommendations for establishing vertiports, HNTB was able to summarize key information and develop a strategic analysis for AAM infrastructure, policy and technology in the state.

Advanced air mobility uses next-generation technologies to move people and cargo between places that are not conveniently served by surface transportation or existing aviation. Ohio identified three use cases supporting new aerospace growth: cargo/freight delivery, regional air mobility and emergency services.

SMART COLUMBUS

Location: Ohio

With the goal to improve equitable access to transportation, the City of Columbus partnered with HNTB to apply for a $40 million U.S. Department of Transportation Smart City Challenge. After winning the challenge, the city launched its five-year Smart Columbus program, which demonstrated how an intelligent transportation system (ITS) could rethink opportunity and mobility to have positive impacts on everyday challenges faced by cities.

HNTB worked with the city though the five-year program, providing program initialization and ITS program management. As a result the Smart Columbus program, the geographic area reachable by a traveler in 30 minutes was expanded, providing accessibility to more than 20,000 jobs and more than 3,000 healthcare services. The program also significantly improved the travel experience for individuals with cognitive disabilities who used a wayfinding app to travel independently on fixed-route transit.

Additional Smart Columbus program successes include:

• Deployment of Ohio’s first automated vehicle on public streets.

• A Connected Vehicle Environment that spans three corridors, 85 intersections and more than 1,000 vehicles to generate data that is used by 11 safety and mobility applications.

• A multimodal transportation planning app that enables trip recommendations based on traveler behavior and preferences and collects data on traveler patterns and behavior.

• Improvements to the City’s ParkColumbus app and web portal.

• Deployment of six mobility hubs to solve first mile/last mile challenges.

• An operating system that is cloud agnostic and built largely on open-source software, making it is easy and cost-effective for other cities to implement.

TEXAS DELIVERS 2050

Location: Texas

Texas Delivers 2050 provides the state with a blueprint for facilitating continued economic growth through a comprehensive, multimodal strategy for ensuring safe, efficient, resilient and equitable movement of goods necessary to support the state’s growing population and essential supply chains.

HNTB worked in coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation to implement the state’s multimodal freight mobility plan. This effort focused on leveraging statewide assets from TxDOT and partner agencies to effectively maintain the multimodal freight network.

This included:

• Identifying and integrating existing operations and technology deployments across the Texas Multimodal Freight Network, including WIM, VC and ITS system components, broadband communication and local/regional transportation management centers.

• Collaborating with partner agencies to expand information and drive informed decisionmaking to include rail crossing notifications, border crossing information systems and terminal arrival times..

• Developing data sharing technology applications and reporting mechanisms to ensure freight data from numerous sources are combined in a comprehensive exchange platform.

• Developing dedicated freight mobility innovation zones in urban environments to facilitate the shift from commercial vehicles to smaller delivery devices.

OKLAHOMA ROAD USER CHARGING PROGRAM

Location: Oklahoma

In an effort to secure the future of the state’s transportation funding, the Oklahoma Road User Charge project assessed the feasibility of collecting per-mile road user charge fees as an alternative to the current system of taxing highway use through motor vehicle fuel taxes.

Supporting the legislatively mandated Oklahoma Road User Charge Task Force since its conception, HNTB initially assisted the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) with a grant application to secure federal funding for the program. Serving as program manager, HNTB helped launch a six-month pay-per-mile pilot, called Fair Miles Oklahoma.

The pilot recruited more than 300 volunteers who reported their mileage driven in Oklahoma. Using a monthly statement, these drivers compared what they would hypothetically pay-per-mile under a road user charging system to what they are currently paying in traditional fuel taxes at the pump.

In addition to this pilot, HNTB helped ODOT evaluate the potential impacts and opportunities of a conversion to road user charging for the tribal nations in the state that currently receive a percentage of the fuel tax in Oklahoma. The firm also assessed possible methods of applying road user charges to out-of-state vehicles traveling through the state.

U.S. 23 FLEX ROUTE

Location: Michigan

As part of state’s first active traffic management (ATM) project, the Michigan Department of Transportation’s U.S. Route 23 Flex Route project creates a safer and more timely traveling experience for drivers. As the prime consultant, HNTB led design firms for the planning, design and design assistance during construction and system management of the intelligent transportation system (ITS).

The U.S. 23 Flex Route uses overhead lane control gantries equipped with various ITS equipment to facilitate dynamic shoulder use, dynamic lane control, variable speed advisories and queue warning. A real-time truck parking information and management system features the delivery of availability information to truck drivers along the U.S. 23 Flex Route. The overheight vehicle detection system provides a warning for overheight vehicles to exit U.S. 23 to avoid low bridges on the corridor.

MAASTO TRUCK PARKING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Location: Midwest

The Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO) Truck Parking Information Management System is a federally-funded mobility solution that provides truck drivers, fleet managers and owner-operators with up-to-the-minute parking information along the major freight corridors throughout the eight MAASTO member states.

HNTB collaborated with the MAASTO regional partnering states as general engineering consultant. With more than 130 public and private sites, the project utilizes dynamic message signs, smart phone applications, traveler information sites and other means at rest areas and participating private truck stops across the MAASTO region.

The eight partner states and the Federal Highway Administration anticipate the system will continue to improve the safety and efficiency of the freight network. With support from HNTB’s staff, MAASTO’s successful grant application was able to heavily contribute to the $35 million in state and federal funding attributed to the first-of-its-kind transportation system.

METRO-NORTH RAILROAD BRIDGE INSPECTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Location: New York

Metro-North Railroad (MNR) collaborated with HNTB to update its bridge management plan, create a comprehensive bridge inspection manual and develop a modern asset management solution to support its migration to paperless inspection forms. This cloud-based web application also allowed MNR to achieve compliance with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Bridge Safety Standards.

The solution provides MNR with secure and direct online access to legacy and current railroad bridge and asset data, including design plans, repair plans, inspection reports, structural load ratings, condition ratings and client-specific risk factors. It serves as MNR’s dynamic capital planning tool for its approximately 800 structures, providing value beyond the FRA’s requirement to create a bridge management system.

I-105 INTEGRATED CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PROJECT

Location: California

The Interstate 105 and Interstate 405 corridors are vital transportation arteries that link California communities, the Inglewood Entertainment District and the Los Angeles International Airport. Serving both passenger and goods movement vehicles, the corridors are essential components of the regional, statewide and national transportation system.

In an effort to minimize congestion and ease travel along the I-105 corridor from Sepulveda Boulevard to I-110, LA Metro’s I-105 Integrated Corridor Management project implements intelligent transportation system strategies to manage the capacity of the corridor using new and existing technologies to lessen the impact of traffic incidents.

Through the application of systems engineering to deliver the concept of operations, the project will deliver near-tern benefits of improved mobility, safety and air quality to the communities within the I-105 corridor. Integrated technologies and proactive response strategies will also better manage congestion during incidents and emergencies, providing seamless and efficient transportation.

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ELECTRIFICATION AND SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING

Location: California

The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) partnered with HNTB to meet its goals of zero emissions. This began with the development of a readiness plan to help the airport meet its goal of a transition to a 100% electric vehicle (EV) fleet and EV charging ports in 25% of its parking stalls by 2030.

This planning examined future disrupters of consumer mobility on demand. It also looked at how connected and autonomous vehicle infrastructure needs and related technologies will impact tradition usage forecasting. This led to the recommendation for incorporating fleet EVs, parking lots, taxi and transportation network company areas and ground support equipment.

Additionally, HNTB and SFO partnered on planning work for renovations across its facilities to expand electrification and reduce the amount of pollutants generated on-site. A major component of this design work was the sizing and construction of power substations to distribute electricity throughout the airport within physical constraints and reliability requirements.

COOK COUNTY ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING PROGRAM

Location: Illinois

As Cook County looks toward a more sustainable future, establishing infrastructure and policies that support the growth of private electrification is a key objective. The county is committed to installing public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in historically underserved communities to ensure a reliable network that is equitably placed throughout the county.

HNTB collaborated with the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability to develop a comprehensive study in support of this goal. As part of this effort, the firm created educational campaign materials; conducted outreach and engagement; and developed interactive survey tools to better understand the awareness, preparedness and barriers of EV charging infrastructure within these communities. HNTB created a campaign branding message of “Go Where You Want, Charge Where You Need,” coupled with a series of focus groups to identify EV charging preferences.

Centering this effort on people’s experiences and needs, Cook County and HNTB were able to craft EV parking infrastructure and management policies and actions. The study highlighted the need to prioritize charging in high-visibility locations for safety; continue education efforts around charging time, costs and limitations; increase awareness of EV technology; and establish EV parking performance metrics.

I-95 EXPRESS LANES

Location: Virginia

The Interstate 95 Express Lanes project utilizes innovative and complex intelligent transportation system (ITS) design solutions to improve reliability of travel times and better accommodate rush-hour commuters. Serving as the lead designer for the Virginia Department of Transportation, HNTB designed toll signs, dynamic messaging boards, and communication and power systems for a 29-mile segment of northern Virginia’s I-95, which includes reversible high-occupancy tolling lanes.

The reversable price-managed lanes use a series of gates to open and close lanes depending on the direction of traffic. To ensure commuter safety, HNTB designed the gates, their relevant dynamic messaging signs and two types of closedcircuit televisions that use automated cameras to ensure that all vehicles have exited before the lanes are reversed. The cameras also assist the concessionaire by sensing when there is a stopped vehicle, an accident or debris in the roadway.

FDOT CONNECTED AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE INITIATIVE

Location: Florida

In preparation for full-scale deployment of autonomous vehicles, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) collaborated with HNTB to plan, develop and deploy activities across all modes of transportation, including passenger vehicle, transit, freight, bicycle and pedestrians.

This initiative prioritized the safety and mobility potential of connected and automated vehicles (CAV). Efforts included the delivery of a CAV business plan to help fund project development and implementation. Realizing the value of harnessed data, HNTB facilitated the integration of CAV into the fabric of all departments within FDOT, as well as local agencies.

HNTB also led pilot projects associated with advanced driver assistance systems and attenuator trucks for improved work zone safety, smart truck parking, truck platooning, public outreach and education and performance monitoring applications.

NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE

AUTHORITY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTER

Location: New Jersey

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority partnered with HNTB on design, construction and intelligent transportation systems integrations to deliver the 28,000-square-foot, state-of-theart, multiagency traffic management center.

With a 57-station operations floor, including an 18-by-50foot digital light processing video wall that has real-time displays of highways from 420 traffic cameras within New Jersey, staff can better ensure the safety and efficiency of the state’s traffic.

The facility design integrates state-of-the-art technology and numerous sustainable strategies, such as the installation of photovoltaic solar panels and an intelligent building management system that controls all aspects of the building’s mechanical and electrical systems.

With features designed to anticipate client needs and future technological advancements, the traffic management center is a pure digital environment that allows for virtualization, scalability and future operational upgrades without costly infrastructure changes.

AMERICAN CENTER FOR MOBILITY

Location: Michigan

A unique, world-class testing facility is taking the future of automated mobility forward. Listed as one of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 10 designated proving ground pilot sites, the American Center for Mobility (ACM) is a first-of-its-kind nonprofit testing, education and product development facility centered on connected and automated vehicles and other mobility technologies.

To support the delivery of a site that safely tests and develops innovative mobility solutions, HNTB served ACM as the primary consultant, performing design and construction engineering and inspection services. This role extended to the ACM’s high-speed loop as well as the ACM’s urban environment, where automated vehicles and intelligent transportation infrastructure can be tested under various real-world traffic scenarios.