The New Standard for Transit: Value Over Effort

• Proeksa Meas
• 26 March 2026
• Construction Focus
• 575 Views

Experts have recently suggested that the infrastructure industry must stop measuring success by the number of hours worked and start focusing on the long-term value delivered to the public. Resilience is no longer just about the physical strength of concrete; it is a complex blend of data, collaboration, and community preparedness.

At the 2025 Year in Infrastructure (YII) conference held in October last year, experts also shared that one of the greatest threats to any major construction project is internal conflict, which often leads to expensive delays and fractured teams.

Andy Kaiyala, Vice President at WSB, argued that a model-centric approach is the most effective way to eliminate these drains on resources. By using digital twins—virtual 3D replicas of physical assets—teams can identify and resolve massive errors before a single shovel hits the ground.

A primary example occurred during a large-scale project in Austin, Texas. By integrating two separate contracts into one digital environment, the team discovered that a critical drop shaft was planned for the middle of a frontage road. Finding this “clash” digitally allowed for a quick redesign, avoiding a costly and time-consuming disaster in the field.

Beyond the financial savings, Kaiyala noted that this early resolution creates a less adversarial environment, ensuring that engineers and contractors don’t carry project stress home at night.

Michael Pearson of the Oklahoma DOT emphasized that true resilience sometimes requires rebuilding systems from the ground up rather than applying digital “band-aids.” This shift ensures that the data associated with a bridge or road remains a living, breathing asset throughout its entire lifecycle.

This push for open data is increasingly becoming a matter of law. In the Netherlands, public works are now required to contribute to and consult key data registers. This transparency benefits more than just the government; a community is far more resilient during a storm or flood if the local citizens know exactly how their infrastructure works and who is responsible for operating it.

Experts are also urging project owners to ask whether they are purchasing “effort” or “value.” By shifting contracts to reward high-quality digital outcomes rather than just time spent, the industry can finally align its business practices with the modern need for efficient, future-proof infrastructure.

• transportation
• infrastructure development
• Bentley
• Bentley Systems