vialytics Spotlight: Infrastructure Perspectives with Colliers Engineering & Design

Smarter infrastructure planning starts with better conversations. 

As municipalities face aging infrastructure, tighter budgets, and growing expectations from residents, technology alone isn't enough. Successful infrastructure planning requires collaboration between engineers, public works professionals, and data-driven tools.

Ahead of PWX, vialytics sat down with Colliers Engineering & Design to discuss how municipalities can move beyond reactive maintenance and build long-term infrastructure strategies through the combination of engineering expertise, GIS, and AI-powered technology.

Sharing their perspectives were Andrew Hipolit, Municipal Services Discipline Leader, Chris Otto, Municipal Services Regional Discipline Leader, and Nick Coughlin, GIS Assistant Project Manager. 

Today's Biggest Challenge: Turning Limited Resources into Long-Term Plans 

Every municipality faces the same reality. Infrastructure needs almost always exceed available funding. That makes prioritization one of the most important responsibilities for public works leaders.

According to the Colliers Engineering & Design team, successful agencies are those that combine objective condition data with long-term asset management planning to ensure every investment delivers the greatest possible value.

"The biggest challenge municipalities face today is making defensible infrastructure investment decisions with limited resources." 

Rather than taking a "replace everything" approach, municipalities are increasingly adopting data-driven maintenance strategies that help extend asset life, reduce taxpayer burden, and make infrastructure investments more sustainable over time.

Data Is Only the Beginning 

Technology has made it easier than ever to collect roadway and asset data. Collecting information, however, is only valuable if it leads to better decisions.

Colliers Engineering & Design emphasized that the most successful organizations use infrastructure data to guide budgeting, prioritize maintenance activities, support capital improvement planning, pursue funding opportunities, and clearly justify investment decisions. But that shift requires more than software alone.

"Success requires more than technology. It requires organizational buy-in, integrated asset management systems, and a commitment to using objective data for long-term planning."

When data becomes part of everyday decision-making, municipalities can transition from reacting to infrastructure failures to proactively managing their assets before problems become more costly.

Where AI and Engineering Work Together

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way infrastructure is assessed, but engineering expertise remains at the center of every successful program.

Rather than replacing engineers, AI helps eliminate repetitive tasks such as large-scale data collection and analysis. This allows engineering teams to focus on strategy, prioritization, and client guidance.

As the Colliers Engineering & Design team explained: 

"The most effective way to think about AI is as a very fast intern. It excels at processing information and automating repetitive tasks, but professional judgment remains essential for interpreting results, understanding local context, and developing practical solutions."

By pairing AI-powered assessments with engineering experience, municipalities gain access to faster, more consistent information while still relying on professional expertise to translate data into practical infrastructure decisions.

Preparing Municipalities for the Future

Looking ahead, Colliers Engineering & Design believes municipalities should continue investing in integrated, GIS-based asset management systems that connect infrastructure data, maintenance activities, capital planning, and daily operations.

Breaking down information silos allows engineering, public works, finance, emergency management, and other departments to make better-informed decisions using the same objective data.

Just as important as investing in technology is investing in people.

The team noted that new tools only deliver long-term value when organizations embrace them as part of their everyday workflows. Communities that combine strong asset management practices, integrated data systems, and a culture of data-driven decision-making will be best positioned to address aging infrastructure, adapt to future challenges, and maximize every public dollar.

Continuing the Conversation at PWX

Colliers Engineering & Design will join vialytics at PWX to discuss how municipalities can leverage engineering expertise, GIS, and AI-powered asset management to improve infrastructure planning.

Together, we'll explore practical strategies for moving beyond reactive maintenance, making more informed investment decisions, and helping communities get the most from limited resources.

If you're attending PWX, join our educational session: Beyond the Pavement Rating: Using AI and Engineering Expertise to Improve Infrastructure Planning, or come visit us at Booth 1838.

We look forward to continuing the conversation in Houston.

About Colliers Engineering & Design

Colliers Engineering & Design has been serving public, municipal, and private clients throughout the U.S. for more than 40 years. Today, the firm delivers a comprehensive range of multidisciplinary engineering, architecture, consulting, and design services nationwide. Its divisions include Buildings, Civil/Site, Geo-Environmental, Governmental, Infrastructure, Project/Program Management, Survey/Geospatial, and Telecom/Utilities.

This integrated, collaborative approach brings professionals together under one roof, enabling clients to access the expertise and resources needed to deliver lasting impact and accelerate success for their organizations and communities. Learn more at www.colliersengineering.com or join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!

About vialytics

vialytics provides AI-powered pavement condition assessments that streamline road evaluations, improve operational efficiency, and support long-term infrastructure planning for public works agencies. Using a smartphone-based data collection approach, vialytics helps municipalities capture current roadway conditions and translate them into actionable insights to prioritize maintenance and communicate infrastructure needs with confidence.

Learn more at www.vialytics.com or follow us on LinkedIn.