Artificial Intelligence Improves Infrastructure Decision-Making and Long-Term Planning

AI Is Helping Bridge Owners Make Data-Informed Decisions to Respond to Aging Assets

As transportation agencies face a perfect storm of aging bridge inventories and reduced funding, artificial intelligence (AI) is helping owners make better-informed decisions regarding maintenance and rehabilitation, improving their assets’ long-term performance. 

HDR’s AI practice lead for bridges and structures, Maryam Bostani, was recently interviewed for a story in Civil Engineering Source, published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), in which she explains how AI is reshaping bridge management and long-term planning.

Bostani has more than 16 years of industry experience, including 11 with HDR. In the article, she describes how AI-based systems are helping engineers move beyond traditional inspection cycles toward more proactive, data-driven decision-making.

Her work focuses on developing tools that analyze large datasets to predict bridge conditions and identify the most effective timing for maintenance and rehabilitation. This approach allows agencies to direct limited funding where it can have the greatest impact, addressing issues earlier when repairs are less costly.

Historically, bridge programs have relied on scheduled or reactive maintenance, either following predetermined inspection intervals or waiting until issues emerge before addressing them. AI-enabled systems provide a continuous view of asset performance, helping teams anticipate deterioration and reduce the risk of escalating repair needs.

This shift is particularly important as more U.S. bridges fall into “fair” condition, where timely investment can extend service life and avoid more extensive interventions.

Read the full article, “How Engineers Use AI to Improve Bridge Management and Infrastructure Planning,” in ASCE’s Civil Engineering Source.