County engineer showcases $2.835M federal bridge award; Biolytics demos road asset software, no purchase decision

Levi Leffert, Dubois County engineer, told the board the county was awarded $2,835,000 from NDOT to install bridge rail, guardrail and end treatments at roughly 60 county bridges, covering about 90% of construction and inspection costs; an RFP for design consultant services must result in a consultant under contract by Aug. 1, 2026.

Leffert then introduced Slater of Biolytics, who demonstrated the company’s road‑asset management and work‑order system. Slater said the system uses phone‑mounted devices that automatically capture images roughly every 10 feet while a vehicle is driven along a road; AI models analyze pavement distresses, signage visibility and other assets, and the platform generates mapped condition ratings, historical records and work orders.

"Once you start the software, once it's mounted, all you have to do is drive," Slater said, describing the system’s simplicity and GPS‑tagged imagery. He also said the county would jointly own the collected images and data with Biolytics while proprietary AI models would process them.

County staff asked about contract language, data ownership, accuracy and annual cost. Leffert cautioned the board that any recurring subscription would come from the highway fund and thus would reduce funds available for asphalt; he asked for required contract clauses to be included. Slater said many counties use the system twice a year to capture condition changes and to produce defensible data for cost‑reimbursement under road‑use agreements.

No purchase decision was made. Commissioners asked staff to provide required county contract language and to return with a negotiated agreement and price proposals before taking any formal action.

What happens next: Staff will supply required contract language to Biolytics, negotiate terms and pricing, and return recommendations to the commissioners for a future vote.