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District 6 Hosts 3D Modeling and Automated Machine Guidance
Workshop Sept. 13-14

ITD’s District 6 office hosted a workshop on 3D Modeling and Automated Machine Guidance Sept. 13-14, serving approximately 120 attendees, including about 20 engineering students from nearby BYU-Idaho. The workshop was funded by a State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) grant, representing the first phase of the $122,000 stimulus.

“The workshop was a great opportunity for us to share our innovations on the Thornton Interchange construction project with over 120 attendees,” Design and Construction Engineer Wade Allen said. “It was very rewarding to see the D6 team receive high accolades for their efforts and to highlight how we are becoming the best DOT in the country.”

District 6 shared their innovations using the new technology with attendees, and described the benefits of implementing this technology. Attendees also received first-hand instruction on how equipment is put to use in the field by the equipment operators. “The ability to take an electronic CAD model and design and convert it into useable machine information has made for faster construction and increased the work quality,” Allen said.

In addition to ITD staff, the workshop was attended by local highway districts, consultants, contractors, the university engineering students, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and other state departments of transportation from as far away as Florida.

Thanks goes to Western Construction, Inc. (the prime contractor on the Thornton job), the Idaho Associated General Contractors, FHWA, and presenters for partnering with District 6 to help make the workshop a success.

Pictured above is the latest on the Thornton Interchange construction -- pouring the northbound deck of the U.S. 20 overpass. Above to right, Resident Engineer Wade Allen (plaid shirt) discusses the Thornton project with Director Brian Ness (purple shirt) during the D6 innovation fair in July, as 3D guru Mike McKee looks on.