The Alabama Transportation Assistance Program and Auburn University in conjunction with the State of Alabama held the 65th Annual Transportation Conference in Montgomery, AL on February 9th, and 10th. It was a welcome change to have the conference in person this year, as last year’s event was held virtually.
One of the opening speakers this year was Dr. Shawn Wilson, current President of AASHTO and Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Dr. Wilson’s presentation was on the newly signed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, what it encompasses and what it ultimately means for the states. Dr. Wilson stressed the importance of the states to deliver results with this appropriation as it may be a once in a lifetime bill if the general public doesn’t see results.
The conference was composed of 12 different topics and 36 educational sessions. A bridge case study was presented that involved a slide repair and the use of drones and movement sensors to document the movement of the soils and its effect on the new bridge. Technological advances have definitely changed the face of construction as was evidenced with this project.
One of the highlights of the conference is the Governor's Luncheon. This year, the Honorable Kay Ivey addressed the crowd and thanked everyone for the hard work they have done through the tough times of the pandemic.
Next year's conference will be held on February 8 and 9, 2023.