New Technology May Soon Help TXDOT Save Time and Money on Construction Projects

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- It's a common problem for Houston area drivers like Andrea Harrington.

"With all this construction, it's crazy, they're always tearing up a different part of 45. I try to avoid this area as much as possible," said Harrington.

Construction projects like the widening of the Gulf Freeway cause traffic headaches on a daily basis, but now tablet technology, just like the kind you use at home could help ease the pain, using a software system called Headlight.

We talked to the CEO of Pavia Systems, George White. Pavia Systems created Headlight.

"With Headlight what we do is eliminate the need for paper and pen out on the job site, and give the inspector an extra hour, two hours out in the field," said White.

Inspectors on construction crews traditionally write down all of their observations, by hand, then it's back to the office to transfer that information into a computer. Headlight allows them to do it all on-site, in real time, taking photos, voicing and noting observations using the tablet.

The company that created this technology says research shows this could save 38 hours of work a month, per inspector.

"As soon as I saw it working, I knew it was going to save time," said Maria Aponte, who was part of the TXDOT pilot project using Headlight in the field, last year.

"If you're saving time, you're saving money, for TXDOT and for the taxpayers, " said Aponte.

She's waiting to see if funding will come through to permanently bring the technology back to the job site, not just here in Houston, but across Texas.

"It was so much easier, they had the Ipad with them, and they were able to write so many more observations," said Aponte.

White says it could help reach a goal everyone can agree on.

"To help deliver these projects and get them open to the traveling public faster," he added.