Abstract
The philosophy on highway structure asset management has evolved over the past two decades at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) and required a new system approach to data management and modeling. The Highway Structures Information (HSI) system was developed to meet such needs. HSI is a systematic approach to effectively managing all state and locally maintained structures through a responsive, efficient online system. When state and local program managers are equipped with real-time performance data, they can make better-informed decisions on resource allocation. In addition, HSI is a valuable resource to contractors, consultants, and DOT management teams as well as a response system for inquiries from legislators, public citizens, and the media. An extensive menu system provides an easy method for users to inquire about specific data and create their own customized reports. This provides instantaneous responses to requestors and eliminates their waiting in line for bridge personnel to generate answers to queries. HSI also incorporates the concept of the structural data life cycle; this allows management of the structure from the planning phase through design, construction, maintenance, and eventual replacement of the structure. This paper presents Wisconsin DOT's development of this system. It explores what work is needed to develop a more complete asset management system and some benefits encountered during the process.
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