WGI is proud to announce that the firm has been recognized with the Outstanding Special Project Award at the 2026 ACEC Florida Engineering Excellence Awards for our work supporting the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) Outdoor Advertising (ODA) Program.

Presented to transportation-related projects that demonstrate innovation, efficiency, and meaningful community impact, the Outstanding Special Project Award recognizes initiatives that improve operations, reduce impacts, enhance mobility, and advance the future of infrastructure delivery.

This recognition highlights WGI’s innovative use of lidar, geospatial technology, artificial intelligence, and data-driven analysis to modernize outdoor advertising compliance and corridor management across the state of Florida.

Supporting Florida’s Transportation Corridors

Florida’s Outdoor Advertising Program plays a critical role in maintaining safe, organized, and visually appealing transportation corridors throughout the state. Rooted in the vision established by the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, the program helps balance commercial communication with scenic preservation by regulating billboard size, spacing, lighting, and placement along roadways.

Through a five-year partnership with FDOT, WGI supports statewide outdoor advertising inventory management, permitting, compliance reviews, and field inspections. Since the beginning of the contract, more than 60 WGI associates have contributed to the effort statewide.

To date, WGI has:

• Documented more than 9,500 billboard structures statewide
• Collected over 13,000 miles of terrestrial mobile lidar data
• Completed more than 120 permit-related field visits
• Processed over 100 terabytes of geospatial and imaging data

By leveraging advanced mobile mapping technologies, WGI is helping FDOT modernize how outdoor advertising assets are documented, evaluated, and managed.

Transforming Compliance Through Technology

At the core of the project is WGI’s use of advanced lidar and mobile imaging technology to capture highly detailed, survey-grade data on billboard structures and surrounding roadway environments.

Using Riegl mobile lidar systems paired with high-resolution 360-degree imaging, WGI can safely collect millions of data points at highway speeds while minimizing disruption to traffic operations and significantly reducing field exposure for personnel.

The technology enables WGI to:

• Accurately measure billboard height, orientation, and spacing
• Create digital replicas of roadway corridors and structures
• Streamline compliance reviews and permitting processes
• Support virtual inspections and corridor analysis
• Improve operational efficiency and long-term planning

WGI’s integration of AI, machine learning, GIS, and digital mapping platforms further enhances the program by supporting automated identification and analysis of billboard features and compliance attributes.

Innovation Rooted in Safety and Stewardship

The project demonstrates how innovative technology can improve operational efficiency while supporting safety, sustainability, and environmental stewardship.

Traditional billboard inspections often require extensive field work along active roadways, increasing exposure to traffic-related risks. WGI’s mobile lidar approach allows teams to safely collect accurate data at roadway speeds with minimal impacts to drivers and surrounding communities.

The program also supports FDOT’s broader corridor planning and preservation goals by providing detailed geospatial data that can inform roadway design, landscape architecture, and long-term transportation planning decisions.

By combining engineering, planning, and geospatial expertise, WGI is helping preserve the visual integrity of Florida’s transportation corridors while ensuring outdoor advertising infrastructure remains functional, compliant, and efficiently managed.

Looking Toward the Future

As transportation agencies continue to adopt smarter infrastructure management strategies, WGI remains committed to advancing innovative solutions that improve decision-making, enhance safety, and strengthen operational performance.

Future-focused technologies such as AI-driven analytics, predictive modeling, and digital twin integration are expected to further expand the capabilities of the Outdoor Advertising Program, enabling more proactive corridor management and real-time infrastructure insights.

Receiving the ACEC Florida Outstanding Special Project Award reinforces WGI’s commitment to leveraging emerging technology to deliver efficient, people-focused, and future-ready infrastructure solutions.

Contact Us

To learn more about WGI’s geospatial, transportation, and infrastructure technology services, connect with our team today. From GIS solutions to corridor management, WGI delivers innovative solutions that help agencies operate smarter and plan for the future.