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Digital Project Delivery

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Contents

1. Introduction

2. Pilot Projects

3. Initial Focus Areas

4. Subcommittees

5. Additional Resources

1. Introduction

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC’s) Digital Project Delivery (DPD) Initiative focuses on incorporating Building Information Modeling (BIM) into transportation asset management. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) promotes DPD through its Accelerated Implementation and Deployment of Advanced Digital Construction Systems (ADCMS) program. The Cabinet defines DPD as:

“the comprehensive management of our transportation network through the focused delivery of projects utilizing digital data and 3D modeling to create a centralized living representation of our network and its assets. This is housed in a common data environment that can be read, used, and contributed to by all elements of the project development and preservation processes. It offers data users more efficient and intuitive information exchange throughout an asset’s lifecycle.”

A core team is responsible for managing DPD pilot projects, determining project objectives, documenting project outcomes, and evaluating DPD software. District Project Teams, which include design and construction staff, help identify project objectives.

KYTC’s goal is to eventually transition all project data from static 2D plan sets to robust 3D digital representations. Migrating to DPD will improve the quality and resolution of data created during planning and design, collected throughout construction, and maintained across asset lifecycles. A key focus of DPD is gathering and storing geospatial data on assets (e.g., new guardrail, structures, signs, striping), which can be used to improve asset management. Through DPD the Cabinet can also more easily collect, store, and retrieve attribute data such as:

  • End treatment type and manufacturer
  • Installed length of guardrail
  • Drainage pipe type and manufacturer
  • Sign type, size, and location

2. Pilot Projects

DPD is a collaboration between project stakeholders from Project Development, Project Delivery and Preservation, and Engineering Support that begins with the pilot project selection process. KYTC receives nominations via the DPD website. A KYTC design project manager, construction section engineer, design consultant, contractor, or anyone else directly involved in the project (e.g. right of way agent, environmental coordinator) may submit a project for consideration in the DPD pilot program. The DPD Core Team reviews submissions and uses selection criteria to determine if a project will be added to the pilot program. Criteria factored into selections include project type, workforce capacity, and District Project Team interest.

Once project stakeholders express interest in pursuing DPD, potential DPD objectives are discussed between the District Project Team and the DPD Core Team. Specific DPD objectives for each pilot project should address the broader goals of the DPD Initiative as well as KYTC’s mission and vision.

Once a project is selected for DPD, the DPD Core Team and Project Team, with assistance from KTC researchers, develop implementation plans, which are living documents used to track individual pilot project objectives, progress, and details. Challenges and successes are noted.  Table 1 summarizes the content of implementation plans.   

Table 1 Implementation Plan Structure and Content
Section Content
Title Page
  • Item No.
  • County
  • Contract ID (once awarded)
  • Version (Project Development [or] Project Delivery)
  • Date
  • DPD Overview
  • Table of Contents
Project Description, Location and Scope
  • Describes the project’s purpose, type of work, and locational context.
  • Lists project-specific challenges (e.g., utility impacts, complicated construction phasing).
Milestones and Schedules
  • Provides milestones, anticipated construction letting date, contract completion type (e.g., working days, completion date, calendar days) and construction duration (if available).
  • The implementation plan is updated continually after construction begins and more information becomes available, including the prime contractor and estimated percentage of the construction contract complete.
Project Team Documents each team member’s name, role, contact information, and goal(s) they are responsible for. The project team list is divided into the following categories:
  • KYTC Project Development
  • KYTC Designer or Design Consultant (if applicable)
  • KYTC Section Office (includes Section Office location)
  • Contractor (once project is awarded)
  • KYTC Digital Project Delivery
  • University of Kentucky (KTC)
Goals
  • Goals are selected from a template list developed by the DPD Core Team and District Project Team.
  • Describes the responsibilities and known subtasks for each goal.
  • Some goals (e.g., training and support) are critical for the overall success of DPD and required on all pilot projects.
Affected Partners and Processes
  • Lists KYTC divisions and external stakeholders or partners impacted by pilot testing, including those not immediately responsible for project execution or the DPD Initiative.
  • When a project will modify the method of exchanging information between KYTC Divisions, external stakeholders (e.g., utility companies), or regulatory agencies are accustomed to, their contact information is included.
Special Notes or Contract Terms
  • Used on an as needed basis.
  • Contains selected or draft Special Notes that detail pilot procedures and responsibilities. Special Notes address project-specific deviations from standard construction contract terms.
  • If the District Project Team deems it necessary, a mandatory pre-bid meeting may be hosted in coordination with Division of Construction Procurement.
Software and Equipment Inventory
  • Captures equipment available to the District Project Team (e.g., survey equipment, desktop computers and laptops, tablets and cellular devices, software (with versioning detail)). Equipment and software upgrades are noted.
  • Describes the availability and reliability of cell service around the project site. Poor cell service is a common barrier to DPD implementation.
Outcomes
  • Outcomes correspond to the selected goals.
  • Captures the skills, knowledge, and abilities the District Project Team and DPD Core Team expect to acquire based on the goals they selected.
  • May include meeting minutes, internet speed trial data, software vendor agreements, and other pertinent project documentation not found in the plan’s other sections.
  • KYTC uses feedback from pilot project staff to inform Cabinetwide changes.
Terminology and References
  • Defines specialized terminology and cites helpful references.
Appendices
  • May include meeting minutes, internet speed trial data, software vendor agreements, and other pertinent project documentation not found in the plan’s other sections.

3. Initial Focus Area

DPD will eventually impact all aspects of KYTC, but the initial focus has been on the relationship between design and construction. Traditionally, the Cabinet has followed a relatively linear model of project development where design staff complete their work and then hand off the project to construction personnel. However, DPD provides an opportunity for a more dynamic relationship between design and construction staff, where construction staff are involved in design and design staff play a greater role in construction. This dynamic facilitates bidirectional communication, which is valuable for ensuring broader user needs are addressed.  

4. Subcommittees

Transitioning to digital delivery will impact all KYTC stakeholders. To ensure everyone is prepared, subcommittees focused on different subject-matter areas have been established. These subcommittees will provide guidance to divisions and on the overall DPD Initiative. Subcommittees currently include:

  • Construction
  • Design (includes Drainage Design)
  • Environmental
  • Level of Development
  • Right of Way
  • Surveying and Mapping
  • Utilities

Each subcommittee includes KYTC staff, consultants, and stakeholders, and is chaired by a KYTC subject-matter expert. Subcommittees determine meeting frequency based on what goals they are pursuing and if their expertise is needed to weigh policy changes and recommendations. They interact with one another and offer recommendations to the DPD core team and KYTC leadership, so that the DPD Initiative remains practical, and user driven. As the DPD process continues to be expanded, additional subcommittees will be established to guide the decision-making based on user needs.

5. Additional Resources

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. (2021). Advancing BIM for Infrastructure National Strategic Roadmap.

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. (2022). Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Infrastructure.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Digital Project Delivery Website.

 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky Transportation Center. (2023). Digital Project Delivery Video.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky Transportation Center. (2024). Digital Project Delivery Video – Construction.

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