July 2026 Digital Delivery Newsletter

Hello TxDOT staff,

As we continue advancing digital delivery statewide, this quarter’s newsletter highlights the tools, resources, and support available to help teams and Districts. From district-level guidance to updated workflows and upcoming training opportunities, we want to provide you with the tools to make the transition coordinated and consistent across all project phases and projects.

In this issue, you can find important updates on Design Division support to the districts, the Paris District’s first pilot project, ProjectWise and ORD/OBM 2025, and new resources and tools available on our improved website. These topics reflect the continued momentum behind model-based project delivery and the need for clear expectations, reliable data management, and shared understanding among TxDOT staff, consultants, and project partners.

As digital delivery practices continue to evolve, collaboration remains essential to successful implementation. Whether you are supporting a pilot project, preparing for new workspace requirements, refining project data, or seeking training resources, we remain committed to providing the guidance needed to move forward together and strengthen project delivery across Texas.

Thank you,

Jacob Tambunga, P.E.

Director, Digital Delivery

Transitioning to new workflows can be challenging. Luckily, local digital delivery District experts are prepared to provide support to each TxDOT District as we transition to new operational frameworks that incorporate digital delivery. Districts currently have access to multiple support resources to help enhance coordination, and drive consistent, efficient project execution statewide.

You can access one-on-one resources and guidance to help support you and your teams in the following ways:

• Project-specific implementation questions ​
• Digital deliverable coordination ​
• Workflow discussions​
• Standards clarification ​
• Pilot project support

Additionally, future targeted workshops and focused training sessions may be developed to support:

• District-specific implementation needs ​
• Project delivery workflows ​
• Model development practices ​
• Digital deliverable expectations ​
• Consultant and project team coordination

To learn more about the support options available for you and your team, please contact your respective assigned area contact below:

Project overview

The Paris District FM 44 pilot project consists of the design, letting, and construction of a bridge replacement on FM 44 over White Oak Creek in Red River County. The project is TxDOT’s second pilot project to let using digital delivery methods and the first to include a bridge. The design was developed in-house by the Paris District and Bridge Division.

Why was the project selected?

The Paris District selected a bridge project because:

• The Paris District develops PS&E for many bridge replacements each year. Selecting one of the “usual” projects allows the District to easily evaluate how the new delivery method affects the design process and the construction inspection and construction contractors workflows while reducing the potential for design and construction errors.
• A bridge pilot project made sense for testing and verifying design workflows in that they already develop 3D corridors for bridges anyway, just not at the detail required for fully digital delivered designs. Taking 3D corridors to the next level in a pilot project from already developed 3D corridors made sense to reduce design complications and potential construction errors.

Preliminary engineering

Design Division and Bridge Division provided guidance to the Paris District on the unique design requirements and implications of digital delivery.

Final design

The final design consists of a standard single-span Texas I-girder bridge with a 34-foot-wide roadway. The structure is supported by Tx46 girders and has an overall bridge length of 105 feet. The final design also underwent a Preliminary Bridge Layout Review (PBLR) using Bentley Infrastructure Cloud.

Letting

The final processing is actively underway with an optional pre-bidding to be held in August. Letting is scheduled for September 2026.

Construction

Upon completion of training preparation and project letting, Construction Division will be leading the effort in training Area Office personnel, plus Paris District construction and design offices on construction-phase digital delivery processes.

Lessons learned

• The lesson learned by DES: Digital Delivery Section is to involve each other and collaborate from the project inception to help guide and support each other on the new methods, processes, and requirements for digital delivery.
• The lesson learned by Bridge Division is to establish and communicate the required Level of Development for each bridge element during project initiation to promote consistency and coordination among all stakeholders.

Digital delivery methods with the model as the legal document, otherwise known as MALD projects, require a comprehensive start-to-finish roadmap to keep project teams aligned. The Project Execution Plan (PEP) facilitates structured, efficient project progress while maintaining quality. It ensures consistency with TxDOT’s approach to project implementation and digital delivery methods. A robust PEP is an especially critical tool for preparation in TxDOT’s Pilot Projects.

When developing your PEP, you should address the following:

• Project background/description
• Project goals
• Software requirements
• Team organization
• Project schedule
• Quality management and review process
• Model management
• Construction administration

You can get started on building a PEP today! Visit https://www.txdot.gov/business/resources/digital-delivery/digital-delivery-documents.html to learn more.

Following up on the success of last year’s nationwide transportation departments peer exchange in Pennsylvania, a 2-day Digital Delivery Peer Exchange will be hosted at TxDOT’s Stassney Campus from July 29^th to July 30^th. ​ The goal of this exchange is to collaborate with fellow DOT agencies and provide an opportunity to help improve project delivery tools and processes.

This invite-only exchange will provide an opportunity for DOTs to share experiences, lessons-learned, and best practices on implementing and advancing digital delivery throughout their communities and projects. Potential participants include DOT representatives from California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, the PA Turnpike, and Utah.​

The TxDOT DDP Website serves as a comprehensive resource for TxDOT staff, consultants, and contractors, offering information, guidance, and tools to support the adoption of digital delivery practices.

To improve the user experience, we are making the following enhancements, which will be implemented over the coming months:

• Improved page organization to reduce site levels and clicks
• Easier access to relevant tools and information[AS1]
• Enhanced role-based user experience
• A chatbot for natural language queries

Additionally, we will be uploading new online training opportunities later this year. Check the DDP website soon for more information. You can expect to see a revamped and redesigned in the coming weeks!

A new workspace is now available in ProjectWise for use with OpenRoads (ORD) and OpenBridge (OBM) 2025. The TXDOT-Workspace-2025.0 (TXDOT-WS-2025.0) update represents a major modernization of TxDOT’s design environment and features standardized templates, updated configuration​, and expanded engineering capabilities.

Users should adhere to the following guidelines when operating in TXDOT-WS-2025.0:​

• Use the correct workspace for each ORD/OBM version. ​
  • There are two ORD/OBM versions available for use (10.12 and 2025), and each require their corresponding workspaces. ​Using the wrong workspace can lead to inconsistent outputs, compatibility issues, or data loss.
• Maintain existing projects in their current version.
  • Existing projects should remain in their original ORD/OBM version/workspace, and migration to ORD 2025 requires Project Manager approval. PMs must review schedule, compatibility​, and deliverable risks ​while considering project migration.
• Treat each version or workspace migration as a controlled decision.
  • While not implemented automatically or necessary for existing projects, migration for all digital Delivery Pilot Projects is required, and all new projects should be created in the ORD 2025 software. To mitigate risk, consider the project phase,​ letting date, and necessary stakeholder coordination before switching. ​

Heads up for Connection Client Users: ​ TxDOT is automatically deploying the Connection Client version to your workstations (26.00.00.12). This will be as part of our continued modernization of engineering software tools. ​As part of this deployment, the older Connection Client Version will be automatically removed from your computer (v25.00.01.04).​ You may notice a refreshed interface with an updated home screen and menu layout; ​however, the core functionality is unchanged. The improved layout​ will help make commonly used tools easier to access.  ​

​No action is required in most cases. ​If automatic updates are enabled, the new version will be installed the next time you launch the Connection Client. ​After installation, users will be prompted to restart their computer to complete the update process. ​

Here are some additional updates and reminders related to ongoing PW development:

• Please make sure you check in your PW files at the end of each day and save any active work. For questions about project conversion or any post-upgrade issues, submit an IT ticket and add in a description note that the ticket should be routed to ITD CADD Support.
• ProjectWise also has a new reduced folder structure​, file naming standard (automated with PW advance creation wizard)​, and a new TxDOT PW access for external Users (with no Dash(-) C requirements).​
• While ORD/OBM 2025 testing is ongoing, support for 10.12 is ending. Please take this into consideration when deciding whether to migrate a project.​ We would like to move quickly to the newer versions to take advantage of the newest tools and workflows.​
• Digital Delivery requirements will create more project data inside of PW; as a result, a standardized reduced folder structure for design and construction has been developed. The requirements of a reduced folder structure and ​more efficient data retrieval, combined with a desire to build more automation,​ required the development of a file naming standard.​ This standard is being implemented through a PW file creation wizard ​that includes pre-populated file naming components and customization options for file naming additions​.

There are several important updates regarding the ORD/OBM 2025 Workspace that not only improve the user interface but also enhances design confidence, interoperability, and productivity.

See below for some of the new features:

• New AI capabilities: ​Bentley now has AI annotation tools that can be utilized after migrating to a newer version. As a reminder, there is a new mandatory AI TxDOT Training (ITD400).​
• Item Type library: ​TxDOT has developed an Item Type library, which should be made available in the next workspace release.​
• Item Type reports:​ TxDOT has enhanced Item Type reporting to reflect updated item type attributes and ensure quantity accuracy.
• New Corridor Template Library:​ TxDOT has developed a new template library and associated feature definitions to support the delivery of linear features for earthwork items and better depict road sections. ​
• New IFS statement: The IFS function replaces nested IIF expression in Bentley Item Types, which provides an easier way to handle multiple conditional decisions.​
• Added support for 3D tiles: This additional support enables ​efficient streaming, ​visualization,​ and interaction with large-scale geospatial datasets in an open, standardized format.​
• ​Added Support for Esri ArcGIS and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Feature Service (WFS): Improving GIS interoperability and reducing reliance on shapefile‑based workflows. ​ ​

A few other ORD 2025 enhancements include:​

• Advanced text framing, leaders, and formatting controls
• White-space management to reduce clutter​
• Improved ribbon tooltips and usability​
• Automated annotation placement during design​
• DGN file health auditing​ and improved workspace configuration
• Drainage and hydraulic modeling enhancements, including overtopping simulations in culverts, improved gutter modeling, HEC-22 4th edition support for inlets​ improved cash basin storage modeling​ More accurate station/offset reporting for drainage elements

These advancements are delivering a more connected and efficient design process by improving accuracy, reliability, and data integration while reducing manual effort through automation.

For more information on the areas impacted by the ORD 2025 update, please refer to the table below:

A publicly available link is available for anyone working on TxDOT projects - Bentley Software Data (TxDOT Digital Delivery)

The 3D Model Breakline Curation Training is being developed and will provide education and guidance on TxDOT's official process for developing clean sets of proposed breaklines. These breaklines will act as a supporting deliverable to digital delivery projects​ and help define the shape of the design so contractors can build accurately.

Breakline curation training opportunities and modes include:

• DD website: Instructional documentation and a companion on-demand instructional video will be posted on the Digital Delivery website.​
• In-person: 3D Model Breakline training will be provided in offices by Digital Delivery regions.​
• E-Learning: A self-paced eLearning course on 3D Model Breaklines will be available in PeopleSoft.​

Once training is available, all projects will be expected to include this deliverable as part of the PS&E package for information only to supplement the existing FIO requirements. This deliverable is a current requirement for all DD pilot projects that are MALD.

The Engineer’s Seal and Signature remain the primary certification mechanism and are applied to the Index of Files PDF for all digital deliverables. To help protect the integrity of digital files, TxDOT is currently developing a Digital Fingerprint tool for use on internal MALD pilot projects. Upon completion of testing, the tool will be made available to consultants through our website.

A digital fingerprint for each MALD file will be generated using TxDOT’s SHA-256 Hash Code Generator. The tool also produces a manifest—a document that lists all digital files and their corresponding fingerprints. These fingerprints can be used to verify that files have not been altered, corrupted, or otherwise compromised during transfer.

Together, the Engineer’s Seal and Signature on the Index of Files and the associated digital fingerprints provide assurance of the authenticity and integrity of the deliverables. This combination functions as a digital signature and satisfies the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS) requirements for signing and sealing engineering documents.

Digital signing is not just a technical step, it is: ​

• A legal certification​
• A risk transfer mechanism​
• A critical information exchange control point in Digital Delivery lifecycle​
• A cryptographic secure, certificate-based signature​
• An electronic version of an engineer’s official stamp, proving the work is complete, trustworthy, and that the engineer is legally responsible.​
• A signature verification method that becomes invalid if the document is altered​
• Authentication of the identity of the licensed professional​
• A means for the protection of the integrity of the design deliverable.​
• A board approved tool that also allows the user to check multiple files against each other.​​

The Digital Delivery Program will be hosting various training courses focused on implementing digital delivery into existing workflow processes.

Please see below for the upcoming calendar of topics and rollout schedule.