Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) issues its Report Card for America's Infrastructure. Expressed in reader-friendly letter grades, the ratings document the current state of the country's major infrastructure assets, while also identifying needed improvements and contextualizing the relative health of these assets over time. Today, we talk to two experts--TTI's Edith Arámbula Mercado and the Texas Department of Transportation's Jamie Farris--about ASCE's 2025 report card and how Texas ranks nationally in terms of the health and reliability of its roads and bridges.
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Episode Transcript
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Allan Rutter (00:00):
Howdy, everyone.
Welcome to ThinkingTransportation, conversations
about how we get ourselves thestuff we need from one place to
(00:22):
another.
I'm Allan Rutter with the TexasA&M Transportation Institute.
Some things just seem to belongtogether: peanut butter and
chocolate, Lennon and McCartney,Wesley and Buttercup.
It also seems that the word"infrastructure" in most news
stories is inevitably precededby the adjective
"crumbling" (00:43):
crumbling infrastructure.
But is there any way of knowingif our roads and bridges are in
bad shape, getting worse, orgetting better?
Today, we'll be discussingassessments of America's
infrastructure issued every fouryears by the American Society
of Civil Engineers.
We are joined by two Texasexperts in transportation - how
(01:05):
it gets built, how it lasts, andhow it gets maintained.
Jamie Farris is the director ofthe Bridge Division of the
Texas Department ofTransportation.
Edith Arámbula Mercado is aresearch engineer and Recyclable
Pavement Materials Programmanager at TTI and also serves
as the deputy director of theCenter for Infrastructure
(01:26):
Renewal (CIR).
Welcome to you both.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (01:29):
Thanks for having us.
Jamie Farris (01:31):
Yes, thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Allan Rutter (01:33):
So first, let me get something out of the way.
I want to remind our audiencethat while the three of us are
employed by the state of Texas,our conversation today involves
three people expressing views,opinions, or observations that
are solely our own and do notnecessarily reflect those of
TxDOT, TTI, or the CIR.
So with that out of the way,let's first let our audience get
(01:57):
a chance to meet you and get toknow you a little better.
One of the questions I wouldhave is how have each of you
made the journey to engineeringin general and to pavements and
bridges in particular?
Let me start with you, Jamie.
How'd you get into the bridgeworld?
Jamie Farris (02:14):
All right.
So my journey into bridgesstarted at The University of
Texas as an undergraduatearchitectural engineering
student.
For two summers, I worked as aresearch assistant for Dr.
Joseph Yura on bridge research.
And so after graduating, Iended up going to work for a
consulting firm designingbridges for about three years
(02:35):
before I came over TxDOT'sBridge Division.
And I've been working atTxDOT's Bridge Division for over
22 years.
Allan Rutter (02:42):
So you got into bridges pretty quickly.
Right.
Okay, Edith, what's yourjourney?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (02:48):
Well, I was raised in a household of
engineers.
So my dad is a mechanicalengineer.
My mom has a degree in physicsand math.
Both have graduate degrees.
All my sisters are eitherarchitects or engineers.
So it was pretty obvious frommy background that I was going
to go into engineering.
So I chose civil engineering.
I did my undergrad at MonterreyTech in Mexico.
(03:10):
And the focus there isprimarily structural
engineering, you know, design ofconcrete and steel structures.
However, soon after graduation,I was able to land a job with
the public works department inone of the cities that is close
to Monterrey.
And I was given the task ofdeveloping and implementing a
pavement management system.
(03:31):
I didn't know much about that,but it was kind of my window
into the pavement world.
I finally got to see, you know,how roads were made, what type
of maintenance strategies wereapplied.
And that led me to wanting tolearn more about it.
So I joined the Texas A&Mgraduate program.
I did my master's and PhD hereat A&M.
(03:52):
And after working for FederalHighways and private consulting,
I made my way back and joinedTTI as a research engineer.
And I've been here since 2010.
So this will be my 15th yearwith TTI.
Allan Rutter (04:04):
Great.
Thank you very much for that.
So today we're going to betalking about a infrastructure
report card Let me get intohelping our audience understand
what this is.
So as part of the AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers-- or
ASCE, that's how we'll refer tothem-- often, as part of their
advocacy for infrastructureimprovements, they've prepared a
(04:26):
comprehensive assessment of thenation's major infrastructure
systems in what they call aReport Card for America's
Infrastructure.
And they issue this every fouryears since 1998.
The last time this quadrennialreport card was issued in 2020
Edith joined our OG podcasthost, Bernie Fette, to discuss
(04:46):
the report card.
Now, earlier this year, the2025 version of this report card
was published.
So before getting into theletter grades of pavement and
bridges, let's talk a little bitabout some of the big picture
trends these guys discussed at anational level.
The first major trend theynoted centered on the subject of
resilience.
The report states, " aginginfrastructure systems are
(05:10):
increasingly vulnerable tonatural disasters and extreme
weather events, creatingunexpected and often avoidable
risks to public safety and theeconomy." So for the two of you,
are you guys seeing publicinfrastructure owners at the
state and local level payingmore attention to resilience as
(05:31):
they plan and construct roadsand bridges?
Jamie, how are you seeingresilience being addressed by
you and your peer state DOTs?
Jamie Farris (05:41):
So I would say that definitely resilience is
considered more than ever acrossthe nation and at TxDOT and the
local level.
And so we're definitely seeingthat nationally.
Allan Rutter (05:52):
Edith?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (05:54):
I agree with Jamie.
Yes, I think resilience isgetting a lot more attention
now, especially after extremeevents.
If you remember that winterstorm we had here in Texas,
February 2021, created a lot ofproblems like widespread power
outages.
People couldn't drive becauseof ice and extreme cold.
(06:15):
So that forces agencies torethink what are they going to
do about these events, right?
What materials are you going toselect?
What design and constructionprocess practices they're going
to do in order forinfrastructure in general, not
just roads or bridges, towithstand these extreme
conditions.
So for payments, I think youcould look into engineer
(06:35):
materials or revising existingmethods or specifications to
ensure that the way you arecombining these materials and
putting them down inconstruction are able to
withstand these more extremeconditions that we're all
experiencing year by year.
I think ASCE report mentionsthat for every dollar you spend
(06:58):
on resilience, you can have a$13 imposed disaster recovery
cost savings.
So I think that makes a strongcase for making this type of
investment.
Allan Rutter (07:08):
So Jamie, how are you seeing resilience being
incorporated in terms ofmaterials, methods of
construction or maintenancepractices?
Jamie Farris (07:16):
So I would say-- if you're just looking at
TxDOT-- so TxDOT as a wholestarted developing a statewide
resiliency plan in 2023.
And this was to strengthen theresilience of the state's
multimodal transportation systemand to kind of look at
potential hazards.
And so that's kind of TxDOT asa whole, but if we narrow down
(07:37):
to bridges, TxDOT's beenincorporating resiliency details
and materials for bridges formany years.
Some of the examples that I canthink of, you know, we utilize
epoxy- coated reinforcing in thenorthern part of our state
because that part of the statewill receive ice storms or snow.
And so there's a lot of saltsthat they use on the bridges,
(07:59):
which is very corrosive to thedecks.
And so that epoxy- coatedreinforcing protects that steel
from corrosion.
And another way that weincorporate resiliency -- is
about five years ago, we did astatewide program to retrofit
two- column bridges with crashwalls.
And that was another way tomake them more resilient.
(08:19):
We also...
Whenever we need to replacebridges, if they're over water,
we try to get the substructure,the columns out of the water.
And so that reduces the numberof obstructions in the water.
And it also helps with theerosions of the column and the
piers.
And then it also helps with thedebris not getting caught in
those columns.
(08:40):
So those are just some of theways that we try to help on the
resiliency side.
Allan Rutter (08:44):
Well, that sounds like it's something that you can
plan for.
And it sounds like it's alsoplanning for making sure that
the infrastructure can lastlonger.
And in terms of those bridges,it's not going to create
obstructions that lead toadditional flooding.
Jamie Farris (09:00):
Right.
Allan Rutter (09:01):
The next trend these guys noted was the need
for sustained investments.
[The] 2021 report came out justbefore the latest federal
service transportation bill waspassed that fall.
The Infrastructure Investmentand Jobs Act increased funding
takes time to make its way intoactual projects.
How can predictable fundingaffect the overall condition and
(09:23):
functionality of our roads andbridges?
Not necessarily to say how muchmoney you have, but the fact of
predictability and to be ableto plan for it.
How does that show up in howroads and bridges are
Jamie Farris (09:36):
Well, I guess I can speak on the bridge side.
So having predictable fundingallows us to plan for the
future, and we can alsoprioritize projects based on the
bridge condition.
And it not only allows us tobetter use our resources, the
resources that everybody willsee in construction with the
materials, but it also helps usplan our personnel resources.
(09:58):
And so we can focus on theprojects that will be
constructed sooner.
And so it kind of helps us,once we have that predictable
funding, we know that we canprioritize projects and we can
dedicate technicians anddesigners on those projects.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (10:15):
Yeah, I definitely agree.
I think just predictablefunding gives you the ability to
plan, right?
So you can preserve existingroads or you can even try new
materials or methods.
You can also train workforce,right, to support both the
current needs but also futureinnovations.
And that InfrastructureInvestment and Jobs Act that you
(10:36):
mentioned has been, I think,key in that regard because that
reliable funding will supportthe maintenance programs that
will help you extend paymentlive and avoid more costly
repairs in the future.
Allan Rutter (10:49):
So the final trend these guys noted was the need
for better data on keyperformance indicators in
infrastructure areas like schoolfacilities, broadband,
stormwater, and public parks,where there weren't a whole lot
of good measures on how wellthings were going.
What are some of the ways thatpublic infrastructure owners
collect performance data on oursurface transportation networks?
(11:12):
In other words, how can youmeasure conditions on roads and
bridges?
Jamie Farris (11:18):
For bridges, TxDOT and all states, you know, we
have to adhere to federalrequirements for bridge
inspections.
And so that involves inspectingbridges at certain intervals.
And so at TxDOT, because wehave so many bridges, we have
over 57,000 bridges, that meansthat we're inspecting 2,300
bridges every month, all yearlong, every year.
(11:39):
And so if you can imagine,that's a lot of data.
Those bridge inspectors, theyhave to report the conditions on
the various parts of bridges.
And so that data gets stored inone system, and then TxDOT can
use that data to prioritizebridge project.
And then also, we use it topredict future bridge
deterioration.
(12:00):
And then we can look at all thedata for one structure or maybe
one type of structure, and wecan look at historic trends and
then we can kind of identifywhat details or what ways that
we constructed the bridges, youknow, that maybe we need to
change or maybe we need totweak.
And so it's a really good wayto kind of see how things are
(12:21):
going over time.
And it gives engineers insighton, you know, how to improve the
way that we're doing things andalso to make our designs more
resilient to the environment.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (12:32):
Yeah, I think similar to bridges, the
condition assessments areroutine.
I think Texas uses a pavementmanagement information system,
or PMIS, and they collect dataon ride quality, cracking,
rutting.
So it's just to give theagency, TxDOT, like an idea of
how are the roads performing,what roads are doing good.
(12:54):
which roads need maintenance orrehab, and also to have that
historical record of the systemsthat are working and why, what
type of designs or constructionpractices led to that success.
So all this data is beingcollected on a routine basis,
but it also requires certainanalysis and determining trends
(13:17):
and seeing how things aredeveloping over time and those
type of analyses as well.
Allan Rutter (13:23):
So not only are we both encouraged on the federal
side to do that kind ofperformance assessment and
management, sounds like TxDOTand other DOTs are using that
information to track how wellthings are performing out in the
field.
I think the other thing thatmaybe our audience doesn't fully
appreciate is in a state as bigas Texas-- in 25 districts of
(13:45):
the Texas Department ofTransportation-- pavement
conditions and bridge conditionsin each one of those districts
from one end of the state to theother, different soil
conditions, different weatherpatterns.
It's a very different kind ofthing to watch how bridges and
pavements are performing indifferent parts of the state.
Jamie Farris (14:03):
Correct.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (14:03):
Yeah, that's right.
Allan Rutter (14:05):
So finally, let's look at some grades, because
it's a report card after all,and how some of those grades
have changed.
In terms of roads and bridges,given that you guys, that's your
thing, the 2021 grade for roadswas about a D, and in 2025, the
grade was D+.
In 2021, the grade for bridgeswas C, and it was the same in
(14:27):
2025.
So a bit of progress for roads,steady state on bridges,
although neither of them aregoing to get on on the Dean's
List anytime soon.
Now, let's think about that lowgrade for roads on a national
level.
For the ASCE, given theirmethodology, that grade stems
from a relatively highpercentage of roads in poor or
(14:50):
mediocre condition.
In 2023, that was about39 percent poor or mediocre,
which was down from 43 percentin 2020; high operating costs
from congestion of thoseconditions, and high numbers of
traffic deaths.
Edith, what are some of theways that roadway infrastructure
(15:12):
could be improved to improvethose overall condition scores
or reduce traffic deaths fromtraffic crashes?
What are some of the ways ofthinking about roadway design
that can improve its overallcondition?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (15:28):
Yeah, so, I mean, as you mentioned,
40 percent or near 40 percent ofU.S.
roads remain in poor ormediocre conditions.
There's a clear opportunity formaking meaningful progress,
right?
So I think one way you couldimprove conditions scores and
safety is by combining materialsthat are durable, but also
doing a smart design.
(15:49):
The road has certain featuressuch as skid resistance, -high-
visibility striping, rumblestrips, shoulders.
All those contribute to saferdriving conditions, but are not
necessarily the mixture itself,right?
At the same time, if you wantto build these longer lasting
pavement, you need to preventissues like potholes, for
(16:11):
example, or rutting that couldcreate unsafe conditions and
also increase the vehicleoperating costs.
Because if you have to close aroad to give it maintenance,
you're going to have increasedcongestion and create headaches
for the public.
So I think there's a lot ofopportunities here in which
roads could improve that grade.
(16:33):
And I think it is not bad.
Like you said, you know, therewas a slight improvement, but I
think more could be done.
Allan Rutter (16:40):
So bridge condition scores are higher than
those of roadways, 44 percentin good condition, 49 percent in
fair.
The ASCE states that bridges infair or good condition can be
preserved at a lower cost thanbridges in poor condition.
So what are some of thereasons, Jamie, that bridges
(17:00):
might be in better conditionthan roadways?
And then what are some waysthat infrastructure owners can
invest in routine maintenancerather than more expensive
rehab?
Jamie Farris (17:11):
I think one reason that you likely see bridges in
such good condition is becausebridges are designed for long
lifespans.
So their design life will belonger.
They're also slower to showdeterioration, even though we
know that they're deteriorating,but it's just progressing very
slowly.
I do believe investments shouldbe made on our infrastructure
(17:32):
to maintain what we have.
And cyclical maintenance is agreat way to preserve our
assets.
When I think of that forbridges, I think cleaning
joints, cleaning out deckdrains, sweeping bent caps and
abutments and sealing our decks,and then also setting regular
schedules for each bridge formaintenance.
And that'll extend the life ofthe bridge as well as if you're
(17:55):
taking care of it as you goalong as the life of that
bridge, then you may not needcostly repairs in the future.
Another thing I think bridgeowners can do is basically focus
on water.
So if you can protect the beamends or the caps from being
exposed to water, then you cando a tremendous job protecting
the bridge.
The water and the chloride thatare on the bridge decks,
(18:18):
they'll just lead to fastercorrosion of all the bridge
components.
So I think just adding thatprotection can do a lot for the
life of the bridge.
Allan Rutter (18:27):
So it sounds like bridge maintenance is a lot more
expensive than maintaining ahouse, but it's kind of the same
thing.
You've got to do the regularmaintenance to keep things up,
otherwise it becomes moreexpensive.
And I really like this notionof protecting against water
because one of the things a homein Texas needs to be concerned
about is either too much wateror not enough water and how that
(18:49):
affects your overall structureand particularly on your
foundations.
So I think most of the peoplelistening to this can understand
the purpose for making thoseregular investments in
maintenance and protecting ourstructures from the kinds of
things that'll tear it up.
This may be a good chance forus to shift into a more
(19:09):
Texas-focused discussion.
Turns out that the Texassection of ASCE also issues
their own Texas- specific reportcards.
2025 scores for roads andbridges were higher than those
for the national grades.
And we'll talk a little bitabout that.
The bridge grade in 2025 forTexas is B- minus, unchanged
(19:31):
from 2021.
And the road grade is C- minusin 2025, up from D- plus in
2021.
So Texas bridges are in bettercondition in that more bridges
in Texas are in good and faircondition, and the percent of
bridges in poor condition islower, only about 1.2 percent in
(19:52):
Texas compared to a nationalaverage of 6.8 percent.
Jamie, what are some of thereasons why Texas bridges might
be in better condition thannational averages?
Jamie Farris (20:05):
So there are a few factors that have helped us on
this front.
And one of them is, 25 yearsago, TxDOT made a commitment to
start replacing bridges in poorcondition.
And so there was dedicatedfunding, and there still is, to
bridge replacement and bridgerehabilitation that's been
consistent over the years.
And this has allowed Texas todecrease the number of poor-c
(20:27):
onditioned bridges over that 25years.
So since we've gotten thepercentage down, we're now
shifting our emphasis topreservation and maintenance
because we have one of thelowest percentages of poor-
conditioned bridges in thenation.
And so we're doing a great job.
And another factor that, inTexas, some of our regions have
(20:49):
relatively benign environments.
That means they're not as harshon our bridges.
That type of environmentcombined with a preservation
mines that kind of work togetherto keep our bridges in good
health.
Allan Rutter (21:01):
So by the harsh environment, you're talking
about cold weather andfreeze-thaw cycles, or is it...
what else could have to do withthat?
Jamie Farris (21:08):
I would say kind of more what I was talking about
is the benign environment.
We're talking about like WestTexas, very dry environment
where that kind of helps, and soit's not a corrosive
environment.
Allan Rutter (21:20):
Ah, okay.
That makes sense.
So, similarly, Texas roads arein relatively better condition
than our national averages.
Statewide percentage of lanemiles in good or better
condition is 89 percent in 2023.
Nationally, only 45 percent aregood or better.
So, Edith, why might Texasroads be in better condition
(21:42):
than national averages?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (21:45):
In my opinion, the key factor here is
preventive maintenance.
You know, when you do theseearly applications of treatments
such as seal coats, overlays,crack sealing, microsurfacing,
and other strategies, you dothat on a periodic basis before
your pavement deterioratesseverely, you're keeping that
(22:05):
road in a good acceptablecondition.
It's kind of similar to whatyou were mentioning earlier with
that house analogy.
If you leave your house todeteriorate and then you're
going to have to do a costlyrepair of your whole roof, for
example.
But if you're keeping up withsmall repairs throughout time,
you're kind of prolonging thelife of that asset and not
(22:25):
having to come and do a majorrepair later on.
I think also the ongoingresearch that we have at TTI and
other research institutions inthe state helps create these
tailored strategies, especiallyfor districts tailored to their
local conditions, maybe theirmaterials, their weather
conditions. Like we were saying,you know, Texas is a big state,
(22:47):
so some areas are very dry,some areas are very wet, some
areas have freeze, some areasare very hot.
And I think that level offlexibility, providing
recommendations based onresearch for different districts
is very valuable.
And lastly, I'm going to say,you know, pavements do fail.
After all, you know, the worldis not perfect.
(23:07):
So TTI has these very strongdepartment or agency maybe that
they conduct these forensicanalyses for districts.
So they go back and measurethings, especially when they are
early failures and try todetermine, okay, what did go
wrong?
Is this a problem of materials?
Is this a problem ofconstruction?
(23:27):
And that helps create thisknowledge base so that designs
and construction practices canbe improved.
Allan Rutter (23:37):
So finally, the Texas report card, like the
national version, indicates orincludes a discussion of
innovation in improvingconditions, particularly the
bridge report discusses howTxDOT's $30 million RTI-- or
Research and TechnologyInnovation-- Program helps
improve the efficiency and speedof bridge construction in a
reliable manner.
(23:57):
And as a result, Texas has thelowest bridge replacement costs
in the nation, which can beattributed to its investment in
innovative technology.
Some of those innovations theymentioned are modern sensors,
drones, advanced materials.
Jamie, what are some of theinnovations that TxDOT has been
deploying to make bridges lastlonger?
Jamie Farris (24:19):
Like you said, Allan, TxDOT has a very robust
research program, and that's ahuge advantage to Texas.
Some of the projects that Iwould say that would include,
kind of, making bridges lastlonger is we've had several
projects that have to do withredundancy of bridges.
We've had projects where we'redeveloping a concrete mix
(24:40):
overlay just to improve theresistance to cracking and
increase durability.
We've had research on thecalibration of bridge
performance models, kind of, tohelp us see those trends and
deterioration models.
We've had research onevaluating the performance of
sealers and coatings that areapplied to bridges and their
substructures.
(25:00):
And then we've also hadresearch on innovative bridge
superstructures and highvelocity flood events.
And so after some of theseresearch projects we implement
their findings either in designor in construction practices.
For instance, we've includedshear keys on substructures to
help resist lateral forces fromfloodwaters, and so this is all
(25:22):
from research.
And we've also changed ourbridge standards to have smaller
spacing in the columnreinforcing, and that will help
if it has a crash event, youknow, it'll help from vehicles.
So we try to take what weresearch and implement it.
And that's, kind of, the keything that I think that we do
really well at TxDOT.
Allan Rutter (25:42):
So Edith, what are some of the innovations that
TTI has been working on toimprove conditions of Texas
roadways?
What are we helping do thatcontinues to help those
pavements last longer?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (25:54):
Well, at TTI, we're currently
implementing balanced-mixdesign.
This is not a new concept, butwe are in the stage of
implementing it now.
It has a national interest, andit's a framework in which we're
trying to make pavements lastlonger by balancing their
performance.
So we want sort of, like, aGoldilocks mix that will sustain
(26:17):
loads and not rut, but alsosustain climate and not crack.
So all these combined is calleda balanced-mix design, or BMD.
And as I said, Texas iscurrently a leader on the
national implementation level.
We're also doing a lot ofresearch on reclaimed asphalt
pavement, or RAP, and that isreusing the old pavement that's
(26:38):
existing and incorporating it innew pavement.
And when we do that, we try todeliver what we call the three
E's, which is having goodengineering performance, good
economic value, and goodenvironmental benefits.
So that's a big push that we'redoing.
So we're having that moresustainable roads.
(26:59):
We're also looking into agingprotocols.
And why is that important?
Because as we just mentioned,there are more extreme events.
So we're trying to simulate howthese materials will age in the
field and what type of extremeconditions they can experience
while still being durable andperforming as intended.
(27:19):
Lastly, we're doing somenon-destructive quality control
techniques, such as GPR orground penetrating radar, and
some other compaction monitoringsystems.
And the goal here is to combinethese data with emerging data
analytics such as AI or machinelearning to potentially link
(27:40):
construction data to longevityof the pavement.
So I think in summary, allthese efforts just are aiming to
support Texas in making smarterand more efficient decisions
that can improve the conditionand the life of Texas roads.
Allan Rutter (27:56):
And one of the things that sounds pretty
consistent on both the road andbridge side is some of those
innovations are about if you canmake things last longer, and if
you can build them in such away that they are going to last
longer, the inconvenience toroadway users of maintenance
projects or reconstruction (orparticularly replacing a bridge,
(28:18):
which is kind of a majorthing), that will inconvenience
the rest of the citizens anddrivers within the state a lot
less.
So not only they get more valueout of their money for what got
invested in the infrastructureitself, but they're not being
inconvenienced by that ongoingredoing something.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (28:37):
That is correct.
I think all of us have been onroads that have been under
construction for a while, andthat can be a headache.
So the more we can do asresearchers to prevent that from
happening, I think the user ishappier.
Allan Rutter (28:51):
Well, and it also sounds like we're constructing
that infrastructure in differentways, learning from what we've
been measuring over time.
Jamie Farris (28:59):
Definitely.
Allan Rutter (29:00):
Well, from today's conversation, one of the things
I can tell is that improvingtransportation infrastructure is
a passion that both you guysshare.
Tell our listeners a little bitmore about why you're eager to
get to work each day.
Jamie, I'll let you start.
Jamie Farris (29:14):
So I guess for me, as a native Texan, I like the
idea of making a difference forTexas.
And I'm really proud to workwith all the people, you know,
men and women at TxDOT.
I'm constantly impressed withmy colleagues.
And I've learned so much fromthe people that I work with.
And I can honestly say thatI've got friends that I work
with.
(29:34):
And my job also gives me theopportunity to sit on some
national committees.
And so...
This has been awesome.
Just over the years, learningfrom others, learning from other
states, as well as sharing someof our best practices.
It's been a great opportunityfor me.
And then I guess lastly, Iwould say for me, I can honestly
(29:55):
say that I learn something newevery day.
And I feel like it's extremelyfulfilling for me just to be
there and go to work every dayand learn something.
Allan Rutter (30:03):
Edith?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (30:04):
I think what keeps me motivated is
knowing that our work touchespeople's lives, you know.
Because a smooth road or a saferoad is not just an engineering
challenge, but it's justsomething that people will
experience every day while theycommute to work or to a
vacation.
So that knowledge is verymotivating.
(30:25):
In addition, like Jamie said, Iget to collaborate with
incredibly talented peopleacross agencies and
universities.
We apply these engineeringprinciples to solve real- world
problems.
And for me specifically, it'svery rewarding when the
materials and methods that wework with in the lab or we do
(30:46):
research on and therecommendations we come up with
get implemented on actualprojects, seeing ideas coming
into reality.
And the end goal is, of course,to create this road network
that is safe and that isdurable.
But the things that go alongwith it are just very satisfying
(31:07):
to me and keep me motivated.
Allan Rutter (31:10):
Well, that's great.
I really appreciate you guysspending some time with us
today, helping us and ourlisteners understand what's been
happening in Texas on roads andbridges and why things have
maybe better in Texas than theyare other places, but also to
understand how we're making adifference going forward.
Thanks for spending time withus and with our listeners today.
Jamie Farris (31:32):
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (31:34):
Thank you.
It's a pleasure.
Allan Rutter (31:37):
Longer-lasting infrastructure starts with
fixing small problems beforethey become bigger, more
expensive problems.
Edith and Jamie have justshared good news that TTI and
TxDOT are learning from years ofcondition monitoring and
research to build better roadsand bridges with materials and
designs that will last longer asTexas traffic increases and
(32:00):
Texas weather remainsunpredictable.
Thanks for listening.
If you liked what you heard orlearned something, please take
just a minute to give us areview, subscribe, and share
this episode.
I invite you to join us nexttime for another conversation
about getting ourselves and thestuff we need from point A to
point B.
Thinking Transportation is aproduction of the Texas A&M
(32:24):
Transportation Institute, amember of The Texas A&M
University System.
The show is edited and producedby Chris Pourteau.
I'm your host, Allan Rutter.
Thanks again for joining us.
We'll see you next time.
Howdy, everyone.
Welcome to ThinkingTransportation, conversations
about how we get ourselves thestuff we need from one place to
(00:22):
another.
I'm Allan Rutter with the TexasA&M Transportation Institute.
Some things just seem to belongtogether: peanut butter and
chocolate, Lennon and McCartney,Wesley and Buttercup.
It also seems that the word"infrastructure" in most news
stories is inevitably precededby the adjective
"crumbling" (00:43):
crumbling infrastructure.
But is there any way of knowingif our roads and bridges are in
bad shape, getting worse, orgetting better?
Today, we'll be discussingassessments of America's
infrastructure issued every fouryears by the American Society
of Civil Engineers.
We are joined by two Texasexperts in transportation - how
(01:05):
it gets built, how it lasts, andhow it gets maintained.
Jamie Farris is the director ofthe Bridge Division of the
Texas Department ofTransportation.
Edith Arámbula Mercado is aresearch engineer and Recyclable
Pavement Materials Programmanager at TTI and also serves
as the deputy director of theCenter for Infrastructure
(01:26):
Renewal (CIR).
Welcome to you both.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (01:29):
Thanks for having us.
Jamie Farris (01:31):
Yes, thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Allan Rutter (01:33):
So first, let me get something out of the way.
I want to remind our audiencethat while the three of us are
employed by the state of Texas,our conversation today involves
three people expressing views,opinions, or observations that
are solely our own and do notnecessarily reflect those of
TxDOT, TTI, or the CIR.
So with that out of the way,let's first let our audience get
(01:57):
a chance to meet you and get toknow you a little better.
One of the questions I wouldhave is how have each of you
made the journey to engineeringin general and to pavements and
bridges in particular?
Let me start with you, Jamie.
How'd you get into the bridgeworld?
Jamie Farris (02:14):
All right.
So my journey into bridgesstarted at The University of
Texas as an undergraduatearchitectural engineering
student.
For two summers, I worked as aresearch assistant for Dr.
Joseph Yura on bridge research.
And so after graduating, Iended up going to work for a
consulting firm designingbridges for about three years
(02:35):
before I came over TxDOT'sBridge Division.
And I've been working atTxDOT's Bridge Division for over
22 years.
Allan Rutter (02:42):
So you got into bridges pretty quickly.
Right.
Okay, Edith, what's yourjourney?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (02:48):
Well, I was raised in a household of
engineers.
So my dad is a mechanicalengineer.
My mom has a degree in physicsand math.
Both have graduate degrees.
All my sisters are eitherarchitects or engineers.
So it was pretty obvious frommy background that I was going
to go into engineering.
So I chose civil engineering.
I did my undergrad at MonterreyTech in Mexico.
(03:10):
And the focus there isprimarily structural
engineering, you know, design ofconcrete and steel structures.
However, soon after graduation,I was able to land a job with
the public works department inone of the cities that is close
to Monterrey.
And I was given the task ofdeveloping and implementing a
pavement management system.
(03:31):
I didn't know much about that,but it was kind of my window
into the pavement world.
I finally got to see, you know,how roads were made, what type
of maintenance strategies wereapplied.
And that led me to wanting tolearn more about it.
So I joined the Texas A&Mgraduate program.
I did my master's and PhD hereat A&M.
(03:52):
And after working for FederalHighways and private consulting,
I made my way back and joinedTTI as a research engineer.
And I've been here since 2010.
So this will be my 15th yearwith TTI.
Allan Rutter (04:04):
Great.
Thank you very much for that.
So today we're going to betalking about a infrastructure
report card Let me get intohelping our audience understand
what this is.
So as part of the AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers-- or
ASCE, that's how we'll refer tothem-- often, as part of their
advocacy for infrastructureimprovements, they've prepared a
(04:26):
comprehensive assessment of thenation's major infrastructure
systems in what they call aReport Card for America's
Infrastructure.
And they issue this every fouryears since 1998.
The last time this quadrennialreport card was issued in 2020
Edith joined our OG podcasthost, Bernie Fette, to discuss
(04:46):
the report card.
Now, earlier this year, the2025 version of this report card
was published.
So before getting into theletter grades of pavement and
bridges, let's talk a little bitabout some of the big picture
trends these guys discussed at anational level.
The first major trend theynoted centered on the subject of
resilience.
The report states, " aginginfrastructure systems are
(05:10):
increasingly vulnerable tonatural disasters and extreme
weather events, creatingunexpected and often avoidable
risks to public safety and theeconomy." So for the two of you,
are you guys seeing publicinfrastructure owners at the
state and local level payingmore attention to resilience as
(05:31):
they plan and construct roadsand bridges?
Jamie, how are you seeingresilience being addressed by
you and your peer state DOTs?
Jamie Farris (05:41):
So I would say that definitely resilience is
considered more than ever acrossthe nation and at TxDOT and the
local level.
And so we're definitely seeingthat nationally.
Allan Rutter (05:52):
Edith?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (05:54):
I agree with Jamie.
Yes, I think resilience isgetting a lot more attention
now, especially after extremeevents.
If you remember that winterstorm we had here in Texas,
February 2021, created a lot ofproblems like widespread power
outages.
People couldn't drive becauseof ice and extreme cold.
(06:15):
So that forces agencies torethink what are they going to
do about these events, right?
What materials are you going toselect?
What design and constructionprocess practices they're going
to do in order forinfrastructure in general, not
just roads or bridges, towithstand these extreme
conditions.
So for payments, I think youcould look into engineer
(06:35):
materials or revising existingmethods or specifications to
ensure that the way you arecombining these materials and
putting them down inconstruction are able to
withstand these more extremeconditions that we're all
experiencing year by year.
I think ASCE report mentionsthat for every dollar you spend
(06:58):
on resilience, you can have a$13 imposed disaster recovery
cost savings.
So I think that makes a strongcase for making this type of
investment.
Allan Rutter (07:08):
So Jamie, how are you seeing resilience being
incorporated in terms ofmaterials, methods of
construction or maintenancepractices?
Jamie Farris (07:16):
So I would say-- if you're just looking at
TxDOT-- so TxDOT as a wholestarted developing a statewide
resiliency plan in 2023.
And this was to strengthen theresilience of the state's
multimodal transportation systemand to kind of look at
potential hazards.
And so that's kind of TxDOT asa whole, but if we narrow down
(07:37):
to bridges, TxDOT's beenincorporating resiliency details
and materials for bridges formany years.
Some of the examples that I canthink of, you know, we utilize
epoxy- coated reinforcing in thenorthern part of our state
because that part of the statewill receive ice storms or snow.
And so there's a lot of saltsthat they use on the bridges,
(07:59):
which is very corrosive to thedecks.
And so that epoxy- coatedreinforcing protects that steel
from corrosion.
And another way that weincorporate resiliency -- is
about five years ago, we did astatewide program to retrofit
two- column bridges with crashwalls.
And that was another way tomake them more resilient.
(08:19):
We also...
Whenever we need to replacebridges, if they're over water,
we try to get the substructure,the columns out of the water.
And so that reduces the numberof obstructions in the water.
And it also helps with theerosions of the column and the
piers.
And then it also helps with thedebris not getting caught in
those columns.
(08:40):
So those are just some of theways that we try to help on the
resiliency side.
Allan Rutter (08:44):
Well, that sounds like it's something that you can
plan for.
And it sounds like it's alsoplanning for making sure that
the infrastructure can lastlonger.
And in terms of those bridges,it's not going to create
obstructions that lead toadditional flooding.
Jamie Farris (09:00):
Right.
Allan Rutter (09:01):
The next trend these guys noted was the need
for sustained investments.
[The] 2021 report came out justbefore the latest federal
service transportation bill waspassed that fall.
The Infrastructure Investmentand Jobs Act increased funding
takes time to make its way intoactual projects.
How can predictable fundingaffect the overall condition and
(09:23):
functionality of our roads andbridges?
Not necessarily to say how muchmoney you have, but the fact of
predictability and to be ableto plan for it.
How does that show up in howroads and bridges are
Jamie Farris (09:36):
Well, I guess I can speak on the bridge side.
So having predictable fundingallows us to plan for the
future, and we can alsoprioritize projects based on the
bridge condition.
And it not only allows us tobetter use our resources, the
resources that everybody willsee in construction with the
materials, but it also helps usplan our personnel resources.
(09:58):
And so we can focus on theprojects that will be
constructed sooner.
And so it kind of helps us,once we have that predictable
funding, we know that we canprioritize projects and we can
dedicate technicians anddesigners on those projects.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (10:15):
Yeah, I definitely agree.
I think just predictablefunding gives you the ability to
plan, right?
So you can preserve existingroads or you can even try new
materials or methods.
You can also train workforce,right, to support both the
current needs but also futureinnovations.
And that InfrastructureInvestment and Jobs Act that you
(10:36):
mentioned has been, I think,key in that regard because that
reliable funding will supportthe maintenance programs that
will help you extend paymentlive and avoid more costly
repairs in the future.
Allan Rutter (10:49):
So the final trend these guys noted was the need
for better data on keyperformance indicators in
infrastructure areas like schoolfacilities, broadband,
stormwater, and public parks,where there weren't a whole lot
of good measures on how wellthings were going.
What are some of the ways thatpublic infrastructure owners
collect performance data on oursurface transportation networks?
(11:12):
In other words, how can youmeasure conditions on roads and
bridges?
Jamie Farris (11:18):
For bridges, TxDOT and all states, you know, we
have to adhere to federalrequirements for bridge
inspections.
And so that involves inspectingbridges at certain intervals.
And so at TxDOT, because wehave so many bridges, we have
over 57,000 bridges, that meansthat we're inspecting 2,300
bridges every month, all yearlong, every year.
(11:39):
And so if you can imagine,that's a lot of data.
Those bridge inspectors, theyhave to report the conditions on
the various parts of bridges.
And so that data gets stored inone system, and then TxDOT can
use that data to prioritizebridge project.
And then also, we use it topredict future bridge
deterioration.
(12:00):
And then we can look at all thedata for one structure or maybe
one type of structure, and wecan look at historic trends and
then we can kind of identifywhat details or what ways that
we constructed the bridges, youknow, that maybe we need to
change or maybe we need totweak.
And so it's a really good wayto kind of see how things are
(12:21):
going over time.
And it gives engineers insighton, you know, how to improve the
way that we're doing things andalso to make our designs more
resilient to the environment.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (12:32):
Yeah, I think similar to bridges, the
condition assessments areroutine.
I think Texas uses a pavementmanagement information system,
or PMIS, and they collect dataon ride quality, cracking,
rutting.
So it's just to give theagency, TxDOT, like an idea of
how are the roads performing,what roads are doing good.
(12:54):
which roads need maintenance orrehab, and also to have that
historical record of the systemsthat are working and why, what
type of designs or constructionpractices led to that success.
So all this data is beingcollected on a routine basis,
but it also requires certainanalysis and determining trends
(13:17):
and seeing how things aredeveloping over time and those
type of analyses as well.
Allan Rutter (13:23):
So not only are we both encouraged on the federal
side to do that kind ofperformance assessment and
management, sounds like TxDOTand other DOTs are using that
information to track how wellthings are performing out in the
field.
I think the other thing thatmaybe our audience doesn't fully
appreciate is in a state as bigas Texas-- in 25 districts of
(13:45):
the Texas Department ofTransportation-- pavement
conditions and bridge conditionsin each one of those districts
from one end of the state to theother, different soil
conditions, different weatherpatterns.
It's a very different kind ofthing to watch how bridges and
pavements are performing indifferent parts of the state.
Jamie Farris (14:03):
Correct.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (14:03):
Yeah, that's right.
Allan Rutter (14:05):
So finally, let's look at some grades, because
it's a report card after all,and how some of those grades
have changed.
In terms of roads and bridges,given that you guys, that's your
thing, the 2021 grade for roadswas about a D, and in 2025, the
grade was D+.
In 2021, the grade for bridgeswas C, and it was the same in
(14:27):
2025.
So a bit of progress for roads,steady state on bridges,
although neither of them aregoing to get on on the Dean's
List anytime soon.
Now, let's think about that lowgrade for roads on a national
level.
For the ASCE, given theirmethodology, that grade stems
from a relatively highpercentage of roads in poor or
(14:50):
mediocre condition.
In 2023, that was about39 percent poor or mediocre,
which was down from 43 percentin 2020; high operating costs
from congestion of thoseconditions, and high numbers of
traffic deaths.
Edith, what are some of theways that roadway infrastructure
(15:12):
could be improved to improvethose overall condition scores
or reduce traffic deaths fromtraffic crashes?
What are some of the ways ofthinking about roadway design
that can improve its overallcondition?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (15:28):
Yeah, so, I mean, as you mentioned,
40 percent or near 40 percent ofU.S.
roads remain in poor ormediocre conditions.
There's a clear opportunity formaking meaningful progress,
right?
So I think one way you couldimprove conditions scores and
safety is by combining materialsthat are durable, but also
doing a smart design.
(15:49):
The road has certain featuressuch as skid resistance, -high-
visibility striping, rumblestrips, shoulders.
All those contribute to saferdriving conditions, but are not
necessarily the mixture itself,right?
At the same time, if you wantto build these longer lasting
pavement, you need to preventissues like potholes, for
(16:11):
example, or rutting that couldcreate unsafe conditions and
also increase the vehicleoperating costs.
Because if you have to close aroad to give it maintenance,
you're going to have increasedcongestion and create headaches
for the public.
So I think there's a lot ofopportunities here in which
roads could improve that grade.
(16:33):
And I think it is not bad.
Like you said, you know, therewas a slight improvement, but I
think more could be done.
Allan Rutter (16:40):
So bridge condition scores are higher than
those of roadways, 44 percentin good condition, 49 percent in
fair.
The ASCE states that bridges infair or good condition can be
preserved at a lower cost thanbridges in poor condition.
So what are some of thereasons, Jamie, that bridges
(17:00):
might be in better conditionthan roadways?
And then what are some waysthat infrastructure owners can
invest in routine maintenancerather than more expensive
rehab?
Jamie Farris (17:11):
I think one reason that you likely see bridges in
such good condition is becausebridges are designed for long
lifespans.
So their design life will belonger.
They're also slower to showdeterioration, even though we
know that they're deteriorating,but it's just progressing very
slowly.
I do believe investments shouldbe made on our infrastructure
(17:32):
to maintain what we have.
And cyclical maintenance is agreat way to preserve our
assets.
When I think of that forbridges, I think cleaning
joints, cleaning out deckdrains, sweeping bent caps and
abutments and sealing our decks,and then also setting regular
schedules for each bridge formaintenance.
And that'll extend the life ofthe bridge as well as if you're
(17:55):
taking care of it as you goalong as the life of that
bridge, then you may not needcostly repairs in the future.
Another thing I think bridgeowners can do is basically focus
on water.
So if you can protect the beamends or the caps from being
exposed to water, then you cando a tremendous job protecting
the bridge.
The water and the chloride thatare on the bridge decks,
(18:18):
they'll just lead to fastercorrosion of all the bridge
components.
So I think just adding thatprotection can do a lot for the
life of the bridge.
Allan Rutter (18:27):
So it sounds like bridge maintenance is a lot more
expensive than maintaining ahouse, but it's kind of the same
thing.
You've got to do the regularmaintenance to keep things up,
otherwise it becomes moreexpensive.
And I really like this notionof protecting against water
because one of the things a homein Texas needs to be concerned
about is either too much wateror not enough water and how that
(18:49):
affects your overall structureand particularly on your
foundations.
So I think most of the peoplelistening to this can understand
the purpose for making thoseregular investments in
maintenance and protecting ourstructures from the kinds of
things that'll tear it up.
This may be a good chance forus to shift into a more
(19:09):
Texas-focused discussion.
Turns out that the Texassection of ASCE also issues
their own Texas- specific reportcards.
2025 scores for roads andbridges were higher than those
for the national grades.
And we'll talk a little bitabout that.
The bridge grade in 2025 forTexas is B- minus, unchanged
(19:31):
from 2021.
And the road grade is C- minusin 2025, up from D- plus in
2021.
So Texas bridges are in bettercondition in that more bridges
in Texas are in good and faircondition, and the percent of
bridges in poor condition islower, only about 1.2 percent in
(19:52):
Texas compared to a nationalaverage of 6.8 percent.
Jamie, what are some of thereasons why Texas bridges might
be in better condition thannational averages?
Jamie Farris (20:05):
So there are a few factors that have helped us on
this front.
And one of them is, 25 yearsago, TxDOT made a commitment to
start replacing bridges in poorcondition.
And so there was dedicatedfunding, and there still is, to
bridge replacement and bridgerehabilitation that's been
consistent over the years.
And this has allowed Texas todecrease the number of poor-c
(20:27):
onditioned bridges over that 25years.
So since we've gotten thepercentage down, we're now
shifting our emphasis topreservation and maintenance
because we have one of thelowest percentages of poor-
conditioned bridges in thenation.
And so we're doing a great job.
And another factor that, inTexas, some of our regions have
(20:49):
relatively benign environments.
That means they're not as harshon our bridges.
That type of environmentcombined with a preservation
mines that kind of work togetherto keep our bridges in good
health.
Allan Rutter (21:01):
So by the harsh environment, you're talking
about cold weather andfreeze-thaw cycles, or is it...
what else could have to do withthat?
Jamie Farris (21:08):
I would say kind of more what I was talking about
is the benign environment.
We're talking about like WestTexas, very dry environment
where that kind of helps, and soit's not a corrosive
environment.
Allan Rutter (21:20):
Ah, okay.
That makes sense.
So, similarly, Texas roads arein relatively better condition
than our national averages.
Statewide percentage of lanemiles in good or better
condition is 89 percent in 2023.
Nationally, only 45 percent aregood or better.
So, Edith, why might Texasroads be in better condition
(21:42):
than national averages?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (21:45):
In my opinion, the key factor here is
preventive maintenance.
You know, when you do theseearly applications of treatments
such as seal coats, overlays,crack sealing, microsurfacing,
and other strategies, you dothat on a periodic basis before
your pavement deterioratesseverely, you're keeping that
(22:05):
road in a good acceptablecondition.
It's kind of similar to whatyou were mentioning earlier with
that house analogy.
If you leave your house todeteriorate and then you're
going to have to do a costlyrepair of your whole roof, for
example.
But if you're keeping up withsmall repairs throughout time,
you're kind of prolonging thelife of that asset and not
(22:25):
having to come and do a majorrepair later on.
I think also the ongoingresearch that we have at TTI and
other research institutions inthe state helps create these
tailored strategies, especiallyfor districts tailored to their
local conditions, maybe theirmaterials, their weather
conditions. Like we were saying,you know, Texas is a big state,
(22:47):
so some areas are very dry,some areas are very wet, some
areas have freeze, some areasare very hot.
And I think that level offlexibility, providing
recommendations based onresearch for different districts
is very valuable.
And lastly, I'm going to say,you know, pavements do fail.
After all, you know, the worldis not perfect.
(23:07):
So TTI has these very strongdepartment or agency maybe that
they conduct these forensicanalyses for districts.
So they go back and measurethings, especially when they are
early failures and try todetermine, okay, what did go
wrong?
Is this a problem of materials?
Is this a problem ofconstruction?
(23:27):
And that helps create thisknowledge base so that designs
and construction practices canbe improved.
Allan Rutter (23:37):
So finally, the Texas report card, like the
national version, indicates orincludes a discussion of
innovation in improvingconditions, particularly the
bridge report discusses howTxDOT's $30 million RTI-- or
Research and TechnologyInnovation-- Program helps
improve the efficiency and speedof bridge construction in a
reliable manner.
(23:57):
And as a result, Texas has thelowest bridge replacement costs
in the nation, which can beattributed to its investment in
innovative technology.
Some of those innovations theymentioned are modern sensors,
drones, advanced materials.
Jamie, what are some of theinnovations that TxDOT has been
deploying to make bridges lastlonger?
Jamie Farris (24:19):
Like you said, Allan, TxDOT has a very robust
research program, and that's ahuge advantage to Texas.
Some of the projects that Iwould say that would include,
kind of, making bridges lastlonger is we've had several
projects that have to do withredundancy of bridges.
We've had projects where we'redeveloping a concrete mix
(24:40):
overlay just to improve theresistance to cracking and
increase durability.
We've had research on thecalibration of bridge
performance models, kind of, tohelp us see those trends and
deterioration models.
We've had research onevaluating the performance of
sealers and coatings that areapplied to bridges and their
substructures.
(25:00):
And then we've also hadresearch on innovative bridge
superstructures and highvelocity flood events.
And so after some of theseresearch projects we implement
their findings either in designor in construction practices.
For instance, we've includedshear keys on substructures to
help resist lateral forces fromfloodwaters, and so this is all
(25:22):
from research.
And we've also changed ourbridge standards to have smaller
spacing in the columnreinforcing, and that will help
if it has a crash event, youknow, it'll help from vehicles.
So we try to take what weresearch and implement it.
And that's, kind of, the keything that I think that we do
really well at TxDOT.
Allan Rutter (25:42):
So Edith, what are some of the innovations that
TTI has been working on toimprove conditions of Texas
roadways?
What are we helping do thatcontinues to help those
pavements last longer?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (25:54):
Well, at TTI, we're currently
implementing balanced-mixdesign.
This is not a new concept, butwe are in the stage of
implementing it now.
It has a national interest, andit's a framework in which we're
trying to make pavements lastlonger by balancing their
performance.
So we want sort of, like, aGoldilocks mix that will sustain
(26:17):
loads and not rut, but alsosustain climate and not crack.
So all these combined is calleda balanced-mix design, or BMD.
And as I said, Texas iscurrently a leader on the
national implementation level.
We're also doing a lot ofresearch on reclaimed asphalt
pavement, or RAP, and that isreusing the old pavement that's
(26:38):
existing and incorporating it innew pavement.
And when we do that, we try todeliver what we call the three
E's, which is having goodengineering performance, good
economic value, and goodenvironmental benefits.
So that's a big push that we'redoing.
So we're having that moresustainable roads.
(26:59):
We're also looking into agingprotocols.
And why is that important?
Because as we just mentioned,there are more extreme events.
So we're trying to simulate howthese materials will age in the
field and what type of extremeconditions they can experience
while still being durable andperforming as intended.
(27:19):
Lastly, we're doing somenon-destructive quality control
techniques, such as GPR orground penetrating radar, and
some other compaction monitoringsystems.
And the goal here is to combinethese data with emerging data
analytics such as AI or machinelearning to potentially link
(27:40):
construction data to longevityof the pavement.
So I think in summary, allthese efforts just are aiming to
support Texas in making smarterand more efficient decisions
that can improve the conditionand the life of Texas roads.
Allan Rutter (27:56):
And one of the things that sounds pretty
consistent on both the road andbridge side is some of those
innovations are about if you canmake things last longer, and if
you can build them in such away that they are going to last
longer, the inconvenience toroadway users of maintenance
projects or reconstruction (orparticularly replacing a bridge,
(28:18):
which is kind of a majorthing), that will inconvenience
the rest of the citizens anddrivers within the state a lot
less.
So not only they get more valueout of their money for what got
invested in the infrastructureitself, but they're not being
inconvenienced by that ongoingredoing something.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (28:37):
That is correct.
I think all of us have been onroads that have been under
construction for a while, andthat can be a headache.
So the more we can do asresearchers to prevent that from
happening, I think the user ishappier.
Allan Rutter (28:51):
Well, and it also sounds like we're constructing
that infrastructure in differentways, learning from what we've
been measuring over time.
Jamie Farris (28:59):
Definitely.
Allan Rutter (29:00):
Well, from today's conversation, one of the things
I can tell is that improvingtransportation infrastructure is
a passion that both you guysshare.
Tell our listeners a little bitmore about why you're eager to
get to work each day.
Jamie, I'll let you start.
Jamie Farris (29:14):
So I guess for me, as a native Texan, I like the
idea of making a difference forTexas.
And I'm really proud to workwith all the people, you know,
men and women at TxDOT.
I'm constantly impressed withmy colleagues.
And I've learned so much fromthe people that I work with.
And I can honestly say thatI've got friends that I work
with.
(29:34):
And my job also gives me theopportunity to sit on some
national committees.
And so...
This has been awesome.
Just over the years, learningfrom others, learning from other
states, as well as sharing someof our best practices.
It's been a great opportunityfor me.
And then I guess lastly, Iwould say for me, I can honestly
(29:55):
say that I learn something newevery day.
And I feel like it's extremelyfulfilling for me just to be
there and go to work every dayand learn something.
Allan Rutter (30:03):
Edith?
Edith Arámbula Mercado (30:04):
I think what keeps me motivated is
knowing that our work touchespeople's lives, you know.
Because a smooth road or a saferoad is not just an engineering
challenge, but it's justsomething that people will
experience every day while theycommute to work or to a
vacation.
So that knowledge is verymotivating.
(30:25):
In addition, like Jamie said, Iget to collaborate with
incredibly talented peopleacross agencies and
universities.
We apply these engineeringprinciples to solve real- world
problems.
And for me specifically, it'svery rewarding when the
materials and methods that wework with in the lab or we do
(30:46):
research on and therecommendations we come up with
get implemented on actualprojects, seeing ideas coming
into reality.
And the end goal is, of course,to create this road network
that is safe and that isdurable.
But the things that go alongwith it are just very satisfying
(31:07):
to me and keep me motivated.
Allan Rutter (31:10):
Well, that's great.
I really appreciate you guysspending some time with us
today, helping us and ourlisteners understand what's been
happening in Texas on roads andbridges and why things have
maybe better in Texas than theyare other places, but also to
understand how we're making adifference going forward.
Thanks for spending time withus and with our listeners today.
Jamie Farris (31:32):
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Edith Arámbula Mercado (31:34):
Thank you.
It's a pleasure.
Allan Rutter (31:37):
Longer-lasting infrastructure starts with
fixing small problems beforethey become bigger, more
expensive problems.
Edith and Jamie have justshared good news that TTI and
TxDOT are learning from years ofcondition monitoring and
research to build better roadsand bridges with materials and
designs that will last longer asTexas traffic increases and
(32:00):
Texas weather remainsunpredictable.
Thanks for listening.
If you liked what you heard orlearned something, please take
just a minute to give us areview, subscribe, and share
this episode.
I invite you to join us nexttime for another conversation
about getting ourselves and thestuff we need from point A to
point B.
Thinking Transportation is aproduction of the Texas A&M
(32:24):
Transportation Institute, amember of The Texas A&M
University System.
The show is edited and producedby Chris Pourteau.
I'm your host, Allan Rutter.
Thanks again for joining us.
We'll see you next time.
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