Bridging the Data Gap in Pavement Management and Quality Assurance

Content

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a
new information collection, which is summarized below under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
. We are required to publish this notice in the
Federal Register
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Please submit comments by June 15, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 0496 by any of the following methods:

Website: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.

Fax: 1-202-493-2251.

Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590,
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Matthew Corrigan, (202) 493-3365, Office of Infrastructure Research and Development, Federal Highway Administration, Department
of Transportation, 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Bridging the Data Gap in Pavement Management and Quality Assurance.

Background: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is researching the current state of practice for digital project delivery, specifically
regarding pavement and materials testing and electronic quality assurance (QA) data within State transportation agencies.

While many industries leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robust data analytics to improve decision-making,
the highway construction field is seeing an increased need to link disparate data sources. This integration supports various
applications, including design models, intelligent construction, e-ticketing, materials testing, digital as-builts, pavement
management systems (PMS), and Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Infrastructure.

Agencies are transitioning toward BIM as the successor to standard plan sets. However, because agencies utilize tools from
multiple vendors, interoperability is critical. Seamless data transfer across BIM platforms requires a standardized data schema;
without it, agencies risk data loss during translation between applications.

While QA data has long been a staple of highway construction, the ability to analyze and leverage these assets throughout
a project's lifecycle is less mature. Many agencies want to maximize their electronic data but face challenges in integration.
Currently, while agencies are proficient in producing data via test equipment, they often lack the standardized workflows
necessary to analyze and integrate that data into broader systems.

The goals of this research are to:

1. Assess the beneficial uses and limitations of electronic QA data.

2. Evaluate its implications for use in digital as-builts, Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems (ADCMS), and lifecycle
   asset management.

3. Identify gaps and the requirements for a standardized data schema.

FHWA will develop and distribute a survey instrument organized by the People-Process-Technology-Data framework. The survey
will seek information regarding:

• The extent of collection, processing, storage, and analysis of pavement and materials QA data across design, construction, and asset management.
• The availability and integration of geospatial information.
• Currently implemented commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and in-house technologies and databases.
• Existing data exchange standards or processes supporting digital QA data.
• Challenges associated with data-related practices and manipulation “touch points.”
• Specific data use cases and desired practices not yet implemented. Respondents: 3 FHWA Federal Lands Highway Divisions, 52 Transportation Agencies (including 50 U.S. States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico), and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Materials and Pavements.

Frequency: Once.

Estimated Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes per response.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 28 hours total. The total hours = 1,680 minutes = 30 minutes × 56 responses.

Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed collection is necessary
for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality, usefulness,
and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency will summarize and/or include your comments
in the request for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

Issued on: April 14, 2026. Jazmyne Lewis, Information Collection Officer. [FR Doc. 2026-07407 Filed 4-15-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-22-P

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