Infrastructure Technology Podcast

ITP
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The ITP examines how technology is revolutionizing the construction and transportation industries with interviews and reports from the field.

  1. The Next Generation of Geomatics Professionals

    3D AGO

    The Next Generation of Geomatics Professionals

    In this episode of the ITP, Roads & Bridges Staff Writer Jessica Parks interviews Scott Peterson, an associate professor of geomatics engineering at California State University, Fresno and program coordinator for the Trimble Technology lab, and Shaaden Salem, the education program manager of field systems at Trimble, where she focuses on building the next generation of geomatic professionals. The discussion highlights how today’s technology—like GNSS, LIDAR and automated systems—is transforming the industry by increasing speed, efficiency and data collection while still requiring skilled professionals to validate and interpret results. The episode spotlights the new Trimble Technology Lab at Fresno State, a hands-on learning environment designed to better prepare students for real-world careers.  Roads & Bridges Featured Guests Scott Peterson - California State University, Fresno Scott Peterson is an associate professor of geomatics engineering at California State University Fresno and program coordinator for the Trimble Technology Lab.   Shaaden Salem - Trimble Shaaden Salem is the education program manager of field systems at Trimble, where she focuses on building the next generation of geomatic professionals.  What You'll Learn Why geomatics is shaping the future of infrastructure: How technologies like GPS, LiDAR and mobile mapping are changing how roads and bridges are planned, built and maintained. How technology supports — not replaces — the workforce: Why automation and advanced data collection tools are accelerating fieldwork while still relying on skilled professionals. What the looming workforce shortage means for the industry: How an aging workforce and projected retirements are pushing the infrastructure sector to rethink recruitment and training. How education is adapting to meet industry needs: Inside the Trimble Technology Lab and how hands-on access to real-world tools helps prepare the next generation of infrastructure professionals.   Inside the Episode Episode Length: 56:10 Timestamps 00:40 — Roads & Bridges interview with Scott and Shaaden 50:46 —  Interview takeaways Useful Links Trimble Technology Labs Fresno State Geomatics Engineering Roads & Bridges Mass Transit Send us a topic suggestion!  Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast! Email itp@endeavorb2b.com with your thoughts on land surveying and geomatics engineering — we might read them on air.

    56 min

  2. APR 28

    How APTA is Introducing the Next Generation to Public Transit

    This episode of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast focuses on National Work Zone Awareness Week and the programs the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is offering to help introduce the next generation to a career in public transit. Throughout the episode, Roads and Bridges Head of Content Gavin Jenkins hosts a discussion on the top 10 innovations that are transforming safety in the roads and bridges construction industry with Mass Transit Associate Editor Brandon Lewis and Roads & Bridges Staff Writer Jessica Parks.  Brandon interviews APTA’s Vice President of Workforce Development and Educational Services Carita Ducre. Their conversation focuses on the wide array of career opportunities within public transit and how artificial intelligence is affecting the public transit industry.  Featured Guest Carita Ducre- APTA Carita Ducre is the vice president of workforce development and educational services at the American Public Transportation Association. She is also on the board of advisors for the National Transit Institute and Young Professionals In Transportation.  What You'll Learn Why National Work Zone Awareness Week remains a critical priority for protecting workers in road and bridge construction. Which safety innovations are making the biggest difference on today’s roads and bridges jobsites. How APTA is working to support and prepare the next generation of public transit professionals. Why careers in public transit span a wide range of roles and skill sets beyond traditional operations. Inside the Episode Episode Length: 50:25 Timestamps 1:05 — Safety innovations discussion 11:35 — Mass Transit interview with APTA's Carita Ducre 40:40 — Interview takeaways 43:04 — Safety innovations discussion part two Useful Links National Work Zone Awareness Week APTA Workforce Resources Roads & Bridges Mass Transit Send us a topic suggestion!  Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast! Email itp@endeavorb2b.com with your thoughts on workzone safety — we might read them on air.

    50 min

  3. APR 21

    How Technology Impacts Highway Maintenance

    Mass Transit Associate Editor Noah Kolenda kicks off this episode of the ITP with a deep dive into bus fare data from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Roads and Bridges Head of Content Gavin Jenkins interviews Susan Baillargeon, director of the Highway Maintenance Program at Front Range Community College in Colorado, and Don Strange, streets superintendent for Highland Village, Texas. As the program’s first graduate, Strange credits it with strengthening his leadership and communication skills, enhancing his ability to advocate for his department. Mass Transit Associate Editor and co-host Brandon Lewis leads a game of higher or lower using APTA's 2025 Q4 data to compare average weekday bus ridership across U.S. agencies. Featured Guests Don Strange  Strange is the streets superintendent for the City of Highland Village, Texas. His career in public works spans more than 30 years. He is the first to graduate from Front Range Community College's Applied Science in Highway Management program in May 2025. Strange continues to pursue a doctoral degree in business from Edgewood College.  Susan Baillargeon Baillargeon directs the Highway Maintenance Management program at Front Range Community College. Prior to her current position, she served 32 years at the Connecticut Department of Transportation, which included 19 years as a highway maintainer and 13 years as a curriculum manager. Baillargeon holds a master's degree in Adult Learning from the University of Connecticut. What You'll Learn Which transit systems have the highest and lowest bus fares, and how have prices moved over time.  How a longtime public works employee honed his skills in an online course focusing on highway management.  Why online programs, such as the one offered at Front Range Community College, will play a central role in the future of the industry.  How bus ridership in Q4 2025 stacked up city by city.  Inside the Episode Episode Length: 1:03:32 Timestamps: 0:26 — The team's daily tasks 3:25 — Mass Transit data download 18:39 — Roads & Bridges interview 52:55 — Over/Under with Mass Transit Useful Links APTA Fare Database Front Range Community College Highway Maintenance Management Program APTA Ridership Data Roads & Bridges Mass Transit Send us a topic suggestion!  Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast! Email itp@endeavorb2b.com with your thoughts on bus fares — we might read them on air.

    1h 4m

  4. APR 14

    Building Phase 1 of NYC’s Second Avenue Subway

    On this episode of the ITP, Mass Transit magazine Associate Editor Brandon Lewis sits down with Dan McNichol, Bill Goodrich and Joe Stanford to discuss their new book, "Second Avenue Subway: Building New York City's Most Famous Thing Never Built" — a 350-page hardcover featuring over 256 mostly unpublished photographs on Phase 1 of the project.  About the book A hundred years of planning. A decade of construction. New York City's Future. "Second Avenue Subway: Building New York City's Most Famous Thing Never Built" is the story of the past, present and future of New York's newest subway line. This 350-page hardcover book tells the story of the multi-faceted challenges faced by critical infrastructure projects, and how Phase 1 of the project was finally completed through the grit and determination of everyone involved.  Featured Guests Dan McNichol Dan McNichol is a best-selling author, award-winning journalist and public speaker known for chronicling America’s most significant infrastructure projects. A contributor to National Public Radio and a former White House appointee focused on transportation policy, he has also served as chief spokesman for major projects, including Boston's Big Dig, California's High-Speed Rail and the reconstruction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.  Bill Goodrich Bill Goodrich is a transportation infrastructure executive and licensed professional engineer with more than 40 years of experience in engineering and construction management. Most recently, he served as executive vice president and senior program executive at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, overseeing Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway and East Side Access, including the opening of Grand Central Madison. He previously contributed to the Fulton Transit Center and Boston’s Big Dig and is a graduate of United States Military Academy with an MS in civil engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.   Joe Stanford Joe Stanford is a strategic communicator and editor with decades of experience in America's infrastructure, including work with the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation. He has worked as transportation systems analyst, energy technology specialist, writer and editor, with a constant focus on communicating difficult and important concepts to key stakeholders. He has a master's degree from MIT in System Design and Management, focusing on complex socio-technical systems, with a specialization in transportation and urban planning.   What You'll Learn Why NYC’s Second Avenue Subway took nearly a century to advance — and what finally pushed the project forward. What made constructing a subway beneath one of the world’s densest urban environments uniquely challenging. How the Second Avenue Subway set off a domino effect, unlocking projects like East Side Access, Grand Central Madison, and the Hudson Tunnel Project. What surprised the project’s chroniclers most about New York City’s aging and complex infrastructure. Inside the Episode  Episode Length: 39:31   Timestamps: 2:25 — Mass Transit interview 32:30 — The team's takeaways  Useful Links "Second Avenue Subway: Building New York City's Most Famous Thing Never Built" Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway Project Send us a topic suggestion!  Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast! Email itp@endeavorb2b.com with your thoughts on the Second Avenue Subway — we might read them on air.

    40 min

  5. APR 7

    AI, Ethics and the Future of Infrastructure

    The ITP team opens this episode by responding to a listener question about whether artificial intelligence is being pushed too quickly — and what the surge of AI marketing says about regulation, responsibility and public trust.  Later in the episode, Gavin sits down with UC Berkeley civil engineering students Michael Yamaguchi and Sarah Saadeh from the American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter to explore how digital tools like AI, building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins are reshaping construction and transportation.  To wrap up the episode, Brandon quizzes Gavin and Jessica on the history of some of the oldest transit systems and bridges in the United States. Featured Guests  Michael Yamaguchi - UC Berkeley Michael Yamaguchi is the president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) UC Berkeley Student Chapter and a civil engineering student with a focus on construction and rail infrastructure. Sarah Saadeh - UC Berkeley Sarah Saadeh is the vice president of the ASCE UC Berkeley Student Chapter and a civil engineering student with a data science background, interested in the intersection of technology, ethics and infrastructure delivery. What You’ll Learn Why the rapid rise of AI is raising questions about regulation, ethics, and public trust. How digital twins, BIM and real‑time data are changing how infrastructure is designed, built and maintained. Where data collection and AI cross ethical boundaries in transportation and construction. How the next generation of engineers views technology, workforce challenges and long‑term infrastructure impact. Insight into the history and longevity of major U.S. transit systems and bridges. Inside the Episode Episode Length: 1:12:55 Timestamps:  6:25 — Listener emails  13:15 — Interview with Sarah Saadeh and Michael Yamaguchi 1:00:40 — Over and Under with Mass Transit Useful Links American Society of Civil Engineers UC Berkeley Student Chapter UC Berkeley Civil and Environmental Engineering  "AI Moves From Concept to Construction" Roads & Bridges "How Technology is Reshaping Roadway Safety and Traffic Management" Roads & Bridges Send us a topic suggestion!  Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast! Email itp@endeavorb2b.com with your thoughts on AI and transportation  — we might read them on air.

    1h 13m
  6. The Next Generation Shaping the Public Transit Industry

    MAR 31

    The Next Generation Shaping the Public Transit Industry

    Co-hosts Brandon Lewis and Jessica Parks lead this episode of the ITP, joined by Mass Transit's Noah Kolenda. They examine one year of congestion pricing and its impact on traffic patterns and urban mobility in New York City and beyond.  Brandon also sits down with Penn State student Jorge Diaz to explore the future of transit through the lens of an emerging professional — from data analytics and machine learning to the growing need for more multimodal, people-focused infrastructure. To close out the episode, Jessica quizzes Brandon and Noah on project pricing from Roads & Bridges' 2025 Top 10 Bridge Awards.  Featured Guests Jorge Diaz - Penn State University  Jorge Diaz is a transportation engineering student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State. His studies focus on transit systems, with research spanning the impacts of transit policies on ridership, security incidents, accessibility and equity.  Noah Kolenda - Mass Transit  Noah Kolenda is the associate editor at Mass Transit, where he specializes in data-driven coverage of transit operations, ridership and urban mobility trends.  What You'll Learn How congestion pricing in New York City has reduced traffic in Manhattan and reshaped travel behavior across the Five Boroughs in its first year.  How a new generation of transit professionals is applying data-driven thinking, global perspective and multimodal planning.  Why the next generation of the industry is shifting from car-centric design towards systems focused on moving people more efficiently.  How well you can stack up on bridge project pricing from Roads & Bridges' 2025 Top 10 Bridge Awards.  Inside the Episode Episode length: 44:34  Timestamps:  2:17 — Congestion pricing 14:18  — Interview with Jorge Diaz 32:43 — Quiz on Roads & Bridges 2025 Top 10 Bridge Awards Useful Links "NYC marks one year of congestion pricing with faster travel, cleaner air, safer streets and more revenue than expected" — Noah Kolenda  Congestion Relief Zone Tolling First Evaluation Report Roads & Bridges Top 10 Bridge Awards Send us a topic suggestion! Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast! Email itp@endeavorb2b.com with your thoughts on congestion pricing  — we might read them on air.

    45 min

  7. MAR 24

    How Construction Materials and Supply Chains Affect Infrastructure Projects

    The ITP team returns to dive into post-pandemic transit and the evolving forces shaping infrastructure today. Mass Transit’s Noah Kolenda joins Gavin, Brandon, and Jessica to break down five years of ridership recovery across the New York MTA system — revealing how commuter rail, buses, subways and paratransit have each rebounded differently as travel habits shift. Later in the episode, Gavin speaks with Keith Plokhoy of CMC to explore how construction materials, supply chains and pre‑engineered bridge technology are transforming project delivery. Their conversation highlights how accelerated bridge construction can improve resilience, cut man‑hours and reopen critical routes faster after disruptive events. To wrap up the episode, Brandon puts the team to the test with a fresh round of Mass Transit trivia. Featured Guests  Noah Kolenda - Mass Transit  Noah Kolenda is the associate editor at Mass Transit, where he specializes in data-driven coverage of transit operations, ridership and urban mobility trends.  Keith Plokhoy - CMC  Keith Plokhoy is the director of bridge systems at CMC. His work focuses on bringing pre‑engineered, accelerated bridge construction solutions to market, helping agencies deliver projects faster, more safely and with greater long‑term resilience. What You'll Learn How ridership has recovered across MTA modes — from commuter rail to subways — and what the data reveals about changing post‑pandemic travel habits. How construction materials, supply chains and accelerated bridge construction technologies are influencing project delivery timelines and cost savings. How pre‑engineered bridge systems improve resilience in areas facing extreme weather and repeated flooding. Insights from Brandon’s Mass Transit trivia showdown — covering the latest news, fleet transitions and funding shifts across the industry. Inside the Episode  Episode Length: 50:50 Timestamps:  1:40 – Noah's MTA data dive  16:53 – Interview with Keith Plokhoy 44:10 – Mass Transit news quiz Useful Links CMC Bridge Systems MTA Ridership Data (NY Open Data Portal)  Send us a topic suggestion!  Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast! Email itp@endeavorb2b.com with your transit or infrastructure hot takes — we might read them on air.

    51 min

  8. MAR 17

    How Technology Will Shape 2026 for Roads, Bridges and Public Transit

    The Season 3 premiere of the ITP kicks off with a forward-looking conversation on where transportation and infrastructure technology are headed next. Gavin, Brandon and Jessica break down predictions on AI adoption, smart roads, real-time traffic management and the uncertain future of federal infrastructure funding.   The episode also features an in-depth interview with leaders from HNTB and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), exploring how transit agencies are leveraging data and AI to improve safety, operations and the rider experience.  To wrap up the episode, Brandon reflects on his recent trip to Washington, D.C., and the city’s standout accessibility. Featured Guests  Joanna M. Pinkerton - HNTB Joanna M. Pinkerton is HNTB’s national practice leader for digital infrastructure solutions, where she advances programs focused on digital transformation of public infrastructure, integration of AI, and the use of advanced analytics to serve communities more efficiently. She previously served as president and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority. Dee Leggett - DART Dee Leggett is the former executive vice president and chief development officer at DART. A nationally recognized transit leader with more than 20 years of experience, she has overseen planning, engineering, real estate, design, construction, and development programs for major transportation projects across the U.S. What You'll Learn The team’s top predictions for 2026, including how AI, real‑time traffic tools, and emerging safety tech could shape both transit and roadway operations. Why the upcoming expiration of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act may create uncertainty for long‑term infrastructure planning, funding stability and project delivery. How transit agencies like DART and HNTB are using data, AI analytics, and customer journey mapping to improve safety, communication and the overall rider experience. What Brandon discovered about Washington, D.C.’s accessibility — and how the city’s design compares to other U.S. transit environments. Inside the Episode Episode Length: 1:01:53 Timestamps: 1:30- 2026 predictions 12:40- Interview with HNTB and DART 47:00- Washington, D.C. accessibility  Useful Links HNTB Digital Infrastructure Solutions  DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit)  Roads & Bridges - AI Moves from Concept to Construction Send us a topic suggestion!  Don't forget to subscribe to the ITP, and rate and review our podcast! Email itp@endeavorb2b.com with your boldest 2026 infrastructure prediction — we might read it on air!

    1h 2m
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The ITP examines how technology is revolutionizing the construction and transportation industries with interviews and reports from the field.

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