Model as a Legal Deliverable: Exploring the Technological, Implementation, and Legislative Pathways for ODOT

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) currently has no process in place to allow for the delivery of Building Information Modelling (BIM) models as part of the project contract, nor does ODOT have a full grasp of all the regulations or codes that exist in Ohio that may prevent or support this process. While ODOT develops 2D/3D models for design, that data is used to create traditional (2D) plan sheets and supplemented with extensive documentation before being provided as reference information on a construction contract. The contractor then uses the design information from the plan sheets which are the contract document and will generate a new 2D/3D model to be used to understand construction needs and for their due diligence, usually at a cost to ODOT. With new technology and the implementation of BIM for Infrastructure strategies, there is an opportunity to streamline processes, enhance collaboration, and improve design/construction accuracy through the development and delivery of model-based deliverables. Other states have already begun adopting BIM models as legal deliverables and have demonstrated the benefits of native model-based and advanced digital delivery processes. There is a pressing need to modernize ODOT's approach to model deliverables to keep pace with technological advancements and industry standard practices. Research is needed to provide a comprehensive analysis of benefits and challenges associated with adopting a model-based approach. The goal of this study is to determine the feasibility and implications of adopting a model as a legal deliverable approach for transportation projects in Ohio.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPR/Research/reportsandplans/Lists/Final%20Reports%20All/Item/displayifs.aspx?List=47f3581d%2Df21c%2D403b%2D9358%2Dfea0b008772b&ID=822&Source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edot%2Estate%2Eoh%2Eus%2FDivisions%2FPlanning%2FSPR%2FResearch%2Freportsandplans%2FLists%2FFinal%2520Reports%2520All%2FAllItems%2Easpx%3FuseFiltersInViewXml%3D1%26FilterField1%3DCategories%26FilterValue1%3DCADD%2520%2526%2520Mapping%26FilterType1%3DMultiChoice&ContentTypeId=0x0100BD006C89430C884FB603A74E63BB6849&RootFolder=%2FDivisions%2FPlanning%2FSPR%2FResearch%2Freportsandplans%2FLists%2FFinal%20Reports%20All

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $373,246.66
• Contract Numbers:

  42936

  123380

  136994

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Ohio Department of Transportation

  Research Program
  1980 West Broad Street
  Columbus, OH  United States  43223
• Project Managers:

  Fout, Vicky

• Performing Organizations:

  HNTB Corporation

  Arlington, VA  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Perkins, Kimberly

• Start Date: 20251201
• Expected Completion Date: 20271201
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Building information models; Plans (Drawings); Project delivery
• Identifier Terms: Ohio Department of Transportation
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Design; Law; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01970427
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Ohio Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 42936, 123380, 136994
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Nov 4 2025 2:22PM