E-Construction Saves Time and Improves Communication

(February 6, 2018) – New federal funding will support streamlining the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) construction process. Through the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Every Day Counts initiative, MDOT SHA will receive $100,000 for its E-construction initiative, including upgraded technology that allows personnel to file inspection reports and approvals from the field using mobile devices.

E-Construction is the collection, review, approval, and distribution of highway construction contract documents in a paperless environment. Implementing E-Construction will allow supervisors to better communicate and approve project milestones faster while reducing copying, printing, and mailing hard copies of documents. 

“We are systematically modernizing and eliminating inefficiencies across our organization,” said MDOT SHA Administrator Greg Slater. “This additional funding from FHWA will save time and move projects forward faster, reducing overall construction duration and saving money. Every initiative like this makes the customer experience better.”

The funding accelerates this portion of MDOT SHA’s E-construction initiative by one year, making purchase of technological support available now. In cooperation with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Innovation Initiative, FHWA’s Every Day Counts program is supporting states seeking to implement E-construction. Many state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and industry practitioners are already using or testing some aspects of E-Construction. The Michigan DOT, which fully implemented E-Construction several years ago, estimates that the agency saves approximately $12 million in efficiencies and reduces 6,000,000 pieces of paper annually by using electronic document storage for its $1 billion construction program, while reducing its average contract modification processing time from 30 days to three days. More information is available on this AASHTO Innovation Initiative E-construction fact sheet.