Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/117518
Infrastructure Design BY ANGUS W. STOCKING It Could Have Been ORDINARY New Technology Aids Roadway Redesign in Johnston, Iowa C rumbling infrastructure in the United States and elsewhere is one of the most readily identifiable challenges facing cities and public agencies. The problems (limited budgets, urban density, facilities overburdened by soaring population, the need for sustainability, etc.) can seem staggering and unending. But there are gleams of light, and improved technology is one of the brightest. Infrastructure solutions that seemed impossibly "high tech" just a decade ago have matured and now can be commonplace, and progressive design firms are applying computing power in ways that achieve the most difficult troika of all: faster, cheaper and better. A good example is a recent roadway project completed by Foth Infrastructure & Environment LLC in 18 G E O W O R L D / M A R C H 2 O 1 3 Johnston, Iowa (the project was a finalist in Bentley Systems' 2012 Be Inspired infrastructure awards program in the "Innovation in Roads" category). By cleverly maximizing the value derived from sophisticated 3-D design processes and automated information management, Foth designers completed an innovative project within a tight budget and timeframe, while making significant contributions to sustainability, safety and job creation. It was a project with a lot of wins, and one that couldn't have been accomplished without aggressive use of sophisticated technology. A Lot at Stake In early 2010, DuPont Pioneer International announced major expansions to its world headquarters campus,