AASHTO Journal, 25 January 2013
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reports that through a focus on modernizing operations and expanding inter-agency efficiencies it has found ways to save taxpayers $50 million.
The savings were identified through PennDOT’s Next Generation initiative, which focuses on five main areas: PennDOT Next Generation Projects (which engages the PennDOT community to advance practices and technology); Mapping the Future (which calls for all state transportation agencies to save resources and avoid duplicating efforts); Modernization Projects (addressing all modernization recommendations); State Transportation Innovation Council (which adopts and cultivates innovative technologies to allow for faster project delivery); and IdeaLink (an internal online system that allows PennDOT employees to send in ideas for making the department safer and more efficient).
“PennDOT’s Next Generation efforts are focusing on using every dollar effectively and efficiently in delivering transportation products,” said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett in a statement. “PennDOT is doing more with less while continuing to focus on the quality of their service.”
PennDOT highlights its recently established online ePermitting system as one of the ways it has become more efficient and saved the department money. The new online system has reduced the average review time for highway occupancy permits from 45 days to 10 days (see related AASHTO Journal story: bit.ly/ePermitting).
“Pennsylvania has a well-established need for additional transportation funding,” Corbett said. “This is critical to preserve our economy and our quality of life. As we move forward to establish new revenues, it is critical that PennDOT is able to maximize every dollar possible.”