Infrastructure Obsolescence

Civil infrastructure is challenged by resource requirements for new development and the long-term operational requirements. With the emergence of autonomous vehicles, infrastructure planning is challenged to serve current needs, mixed vehicle modes, and an eventual fully autonomous transportation environment. Many infrastructure systems are constructed to last for decades, but decisions are often made based only on the current time-frame. These decisions fail to anticipate how current actions can limit the future options and the associated long-term costs. The design and material choices for the infrastructure construction will influence the operational costs and the land available for future development. An inadequate capacity of infrastructure will lead to operational challenges and limit growth, while over-investments in infrastructure will create unnecessary burdens on the operations and maintenance.