Infrastructure Technology Podcast

On this episode of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast, Roads and Bridges Staff Writer Jessica Parks interviews Doug Kraus and Josh Zhou from North Highland about how artificial intelligence is transforming transportation infrastructure, workforce development and public sector operations. The discussion focuses on North Highland’s partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to deploy AI-driven analytics for bridge management, roadway monitoring and infrastructure planning.

At the conclusion of the interview, Parks is joined by Gavin Jenkins, head of content for Roads and Bridges, and Brandon Lewis, associate editor for Mass Transit magazine, where they discuss the broader impact of AI on transportation, construction and media industries, including workforce concerns, automation trends and the growing role of AI-powered technology in public transit and infrastructure operations. 

Doug Kraus - North Highland

Doug Kraus is North Highlands senior director of AI and data architecture, bringing over 25 years of experience leading analytics strategy and implementation across large complex organizations.  

Josh Zhou - North Highland

Josh Zhou is an AI and data engineer at North Highland, whose expertise in database management and dashboard development helps transform raw data and clear actionable insights. 

Episode Length: 34:33

Timestamps

Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast!

This episode of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast explores how GIS technology, data analytics and emerging artificial intelligence tools are transforming public transit planning and accessibility.

Featuring an interview with University of New Orleans graduate Jackie Strohmeyer, the episode highlights how data-driven methods are being used to improve mobility equity, optimize transit routes and support smarter infrastructure decisions. The discussion emphasizes the growing role of GIS in mapping transit access, analyzing community needs and guiding transit-oriented development. 

The episode also tackles the evolving role of AI in transit systems, noting its benefits in data analysis and operational efficiency while underscoring the continued need for human oversight—especially when addressing complex equity challenges like Title VI compliance. 

Jackie Strohmeyer - University of New Orleans Graduate

Jackie Strohmeyer holds a BA in Sociology and is an MPA candidate with a concentration in GIS at the University of New Orleans (UNO). During her time at the university, she worked as a graduate assistant and data analyst supporting planning and scheduling at the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority through the UNO Transportation Institute. Her work focuses on Geographic Information Systems-based accessibility analysis, spatial equity and the application of data-driven methods to transportation planning and policy evaluation. 

Episode Length: 36:20

Timestamps

Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast!

In this episode of the ITP, Roads & Bridges Staff Writer Jessica Parks interviews Scott Peterson, an associate professor of geomatics engineering at California State University, Fresno and program coordinator for the Trimble Technology lab, and Shaaden Salem, the education program manager of field systems at Trimble, where she focuses on building the next generation of geomatic professionals.

The discussion highlights how today’s technology—like GNSS, LIDAR and automated systems—is transforming the industry by increasing speed, efficiency and data collection while still requiring skilled professionals to validate and interpret results. The episode spotlights the new Trimble Technology Lab at Fresno State, a hands-on learning environment designed to better prepare students for real-world careers. 

Roads & Bridges

Scott Peterson - California State University, Fresno

Scott Peterson is an associate professor of geomatics engineering at California State University Fresno and program coordinator for the Trimble Technology Lab.  

Shaaden Salem - Trimble

Shaaden Salem is the education program manager of field systems at Trimble, where she focuses on building the next generation of geomatic professionals. 

Episode Length: 56:10

Timestamps

Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast!

This episode of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast focuses on National Work Zone Awareness Week and the programs the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is offering to help introduce the next generation to a career in public transit.

Throughout the episode, Roads and Bridges Head of Content Gavin Jenkins hosts a discussion on the top 10 innovations that are transforming safety in the roads and bridges construction industry with Mass Transit Associate Editor Brandon Lewis and Roads & Bridges Staff Writer Jessica Parks. 

Brandon interviews APTA’s Vice President of Workforce Development and Educational Services Carita Ducre. Their conversation focuses on the wide array of career opportunities within public transit and how artificial intelligence is affecting the public transit industry. 

Carita Ducre- APTA

Carita Ducre is the vice president of workforce development and educational services at the American Public Transportation Association. She is also on the board of advisors for the National Transit Institute and Young Professionals In Transportation. 

Episode Length: 50:25

Timestamps

Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast!

Mass Transit Associate Editor Noah Kolenda kicks off this episode of the ITP with a deep dive into bus fare data from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Roads and Bridges Head of Content Gavin Jenkins interviews Susan Baillargeon, director of the Highway Maintenance Program at Front Range Community College in Colorado, and Don Strange, streets superintendent for Highland Village, Texas. As the program’s first graduate, Strange credits it with strengthening his leadership and communication skills, enhancing his ability to advocate for his department.

Mass Transit Associate Editor and co-host Brandon Lewis leads a game of higher or lower using APTA's 2025 Q4 data to compare average weekday bus ridership across U.S. agencies.

Don Strange 

Strange is the streets superintendent for the City of Highland Village, Texas. His career in public works spans more than 30 years. He is the first to graduate from Front Range Community College's Applied Science in Highway Management program in May 2025. Strange continues to pursue a doctoral degree in business from Edgewood College. 

Susan Baillargeon

Baillargeon directs the Highway Maintenance Management program at Front Range Community College. Prior to her current position, she served 32 years at the Connecticut Department of Transportation, which included 19 years as a highway maintainer and 13 years as a curriculum manager. Baillargeon holds a master's degree in Adult Learning from the University of Connecticut.

Episode Length: 1:03:32

Timestamps:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast!

On this episode of the ITP, Mass Transit magazine Associate Editor Brandon Lewis sits down with Dan McNichol, Bill Goodrich and Joe Stanford to discuss their new book, "Second Avenue Subway: Building New York City's Most Famous Thing Never Built" — a 350-page hardcover featuring over 256 mostly unpublished photographs on Phase 1 of the project. 

A hundred years of planning. A decade of construction. New York City's Future. "Second Avenue Subway: Building New York City's Most Famous Thing Never Built" is the story of the past, present and future of New York's newest subway line. This 350-page hardcover book tells the story of the multi-faceted challenges faced by critical infrastructure projects, and how Phase 1 of the project was finally completed through the grit and determination of everyone involved. 

Dan McNichol

Dan McNichol is a best-selling author, award-winning journalist and public speaker known for chronicling America’s most significant infrastructure projects. A contributor to National Public Radio and a former White House appointee focused on transportation policy, he has also served as chief spokesman for major projects, including Boston's Big Dig, California's High-Speed Rail and the reconstruction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. 

Bill Goodrich

Bill Goodrich is a transportation infrastructure executive and licensed professional engineer with more than 40 years of experience in engineering and construction management. Most recently, he served as executive vice president and senior program executive at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, overseeing Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway and East Side Access, including the opening of Grand Central Madison. He previously contributed to the Fulton Transit Center and Boston’s Big Dig and is a graduate of United States Military Academy with an MS in civil engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  

Joe Stanford

Joe Stanford is a strategic communicator and editor with decades of experience in America's infrastructure, including work with the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation. He has worked as transportation systems analyst, energy technology specialist, writer and editor, with a constant focus on communicating difficult and important concepts to key stakeholders. He has a master's degree from MIT in System Design and Management, focusing on complex socio-technical systems, with a specialization in transportation and urban planning.  

Episode Length: 39:31

Timestamps:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast!

The ITP team opens this episode by responding to a listener question about whether artificial intelligence is being pushed too quickly — and what the surge of AI marketing says about regulation, responsibility and public trust. 

Later in the episode, Gavin sits down with UC Berkeley civil engineering students Michael Yamaguchi and Sarah Saadeh from the American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter to explore how digital tools like AI, building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins are reshaping construction and transportation. 

To wrap up the episode, Brandon quizzes Gavin and Jessica on the history of some of the oldest transit systems and bridges in the United States.

Michael Yamaguchi - UC Berkeley

Michael Yamaguchi is the president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) UC Berkeley Student Chapter and a civil engineering student with a focus on construction and rail infrastructure.

Sarah Saadeh - UC Berkeley

Sarah Saadeh is the vice president of the ASCE UC Berkeley Student Chapter and a civil engineering student with a data science background, interested in the intersection of technology, ethics and infrastructure delivery.

Episode Length: 1:12:55

Timestamps: 

Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast!

Co-hosts Brandon Lewis and Jessica Parks lead this episode of the ITP, joined by Mass Transit's Noah Kolenda. They examine one year of congestion pricing and its impact on traffic patterns and urban mobility in New York City and beyond. 

Brandon also sits down with Penn State student Jorge Diaz to explore the future of transit through the lens of an emerging professional — from data analytics and machine learning to the growing need for more multimodal, people-focused infrastructure.

To close out the episode, Jessica quizzes Brandon and Noah on project pricing from Roads & Bridges' 2025 Top 10 Bridge Awards. 

Jorge Diaz - Penn State University 

Jorge Diaz is a transportation engineering student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State. His studies focus on transit systems, with research spanning the impacts of transit policies on ridership, security incidents, accessibility and equity. 

Noah Kolenda - Mass Transit 

Noah Kolenda is the associate editor at Mass Transit, where he specializes in data-driven coverage of transit operations, ridership and urban mobility trends. 

Episode length: 44:34 

Timestamps: 

Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast!

The ITP team returns to dive into post-pandemic transit and the evolving forces shaping infrastructure today. Mass Transit’s Noah Kolenda joins Gavin, Brandon, and Jessica to break down five years of ridership recovery across the New York MTA system — revealing how commuter rail, buses, subways and paratransit have each rebounded differently as travel habits shift.

Later in the episode, Gavin speaks with Keith Plokhoy of CMC to explore how construction materials, supply chains and pre‑engineered bridge technology are transforming project delivery. Their conversation highlights how accelerated bridge construction can improve resilience, cut man‑hours and reopen critical routes faster after disruptive events.

To wrap up the episode, Brandon puts the team to the test with a fresh round of Mass Transit trivia.

Noah Kolenda - Mass Transit 

Noah Kolenda is the associate editor at Mass Transit, where he specializes in data-driven coverage of transit operations, ridership and urban mobility trends. 

Keith Plokhoy - CMC 

Keith Plokhoy is the director of bridge systems at CMC. His work focuses on bringing pre‑engineered, accelerated bridge construction solutions to market, helping agencies deliver projects faster, more safely and with greater long‑term resilience.

Episode Length: 50:50

Timestamps: 

Don’t forget to subscribe to the ITP and rate and review our podcast!

The Season 3 premiere of the ITP kicks off with a forward-looking conversation on where transportation and infrastructure technology are headed next. Gavin, Brandon and Jessica break down predictions on AI adoption, smart roads, real-time traffic management and the uncertain future of federal infrastructure funding.  

The episode also features an in-depth interview with leaders from HNTB and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), exploring how transit agencies are leveraging data and AI to improve safety, operations and the rider experience. 

To wrap up the episode, Brandon reflects on his recent trip to Washington, D.C., and the city’s standout accessibility.

Joanna M. Pinkerton - HNTB

Joanna M. Pinkerton is HNTB’s national practice leader for digital infrastructure solutions, where she advances programs focused on digital transformation of public infrastructure, integration of AI, and the use of advanced analytics to serve communities more efficiently. She previously served as president and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority.

Dee Leggett - DART

Dee Leggett is the former executive vice president and chief development officer at DART. A nationally recognized transit leader with more than 20 years of experience, she has overseen planning, engineering, real estate, design, construction, and development programs for major transportation projects across the U.S.

Episode Length: 1:01:53

Timestamps:

1:30- 2026 predictions

12:40- Interview with HNTB and DART

47:00- Washington, D.C. accessibility