A key theme explored at the AASHTOWare Connect 2026 conference April 21-22 in Des Moines, IA, was how data integration is becoming a critical factor in the ongoing advancement of data exchange and digital delivery.
[Above photo by AASHTO]
A division of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AASHTOWare offers a suite of software products delivered through a collaborative business model with state departments of transportation across the country.
AASHTOWare Connect is a yearly forum for AASHTOWare users and software vendors to come together and navigate the evolving transportation technology landscape, share insights, and foster meaningful connections.
At the AASHTOWare Connect 2026 conference, attendees had the opportunity to learn how the AASHTOWare software suite is expanding and advancing – including a discussion about AASHTOWare OpenAPI, a secure cloud-based platform that allows data exchange between AASHTOWare products and other enterprise applications.
The meeting also provided a forum for attendees to hear how states are using it to connect data from various AASHTOWare products to their external systems, supporting broader goals such as digital delivery and interoperability.
William Holmes – spatial services and big data branch manager for the Office of Information Technology at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet – delivered a key presentation during the conference; diving into how AASHTOWare thrives in an OpenBIM Standards-Driven Environment.
[Editor’s note: “OpenBIM” refers to an open, standardized approach to Building Information Modeling or BIM that makes building and infrastructure information easier to share and access.]
Throughout his presentation, Holmes identified steps that the transportation space needs to take to achieve OpenBIM, including achieving interoperability, building trust, and building a community.
He emphasized the importance of working together to break down data silos to make decision making more efficient, and how AASHTOWare OpenAPI will play a significant part in this process.
The conference also included several member-led product presentations from the AASHTOWare Project, Bridge Design and Rating, Pavement, and Bridge Management Task Forces, who shared exciting updates on the innovative initiatives their teams have been working on during 2026.
Those sessions focused on key themes such as connecting data across platforms, making the software more intuitive, breaking down silos, and collaborating to achieve digital delivery.
“Collaboration is essential to achieving digital delivery within the transportation industry,” noted Keith Platte, AASHTOWare director. “This conference helps ensure all members of the AASHTOWare community and outside vendors have a space to come together and work to achieve this shared goal.”
For anyone looking to learn more about AASHTOWare Connect, visit: https://www.aashtoware.org/community/aashtoware-connect/.
AASHTO
