Evaluation of Operational Challenges in Highway Construction Material Delivery

One out of every 5 miles of highways and 45,000 bridges in the United States are in poor condition. Transportation agencies and highway construction industries are significantly impacted by workforce shortage, quality issues, and schedule delays for decades. For almost two decades, the industry has been facing the same obstacles, and it is high time that these problems are addressed with research, innovation, and implementation. This study's objectives are to (1) identify the various inefficiencies in material delivery, ticketing, and inspection processes; (2) rank the challenges to analyze their impact; and (3) identify proven technologies that can mitigate the encountered challenges. The study involved a comprehensive review of literature before distributing a survey questionnaire to 20 state departments of transportation (DOTs). Using the Relative Importance Index (RII), the authors have ranked the operational challenges in highway construction. According to the findings of the study, the primary challenge in highway construction is the shortage of field engineers and inspectors. This research will encourage state DOTs to implement digital delivery and inspection technologies. Utilizing electronic ticketing and electronic inspection will eliminate some of the challenges and assist in mitigating the rest.