4M's New Video Series: Inside the Minds of Infrastructure Experts

The reality is clear: civil engineers, project managers, and utility coordinators face significant obstacles in gathering and utilizing utility data during the early stages of infrastructure projects. Outdated and fragmented utility data has long been the invisible roadblock to successful project outcomes.

But what if guesswork, project delays, cost overruns, and safety hazards were no longer the norm with infrastructure development? 

A world where every decision—from the office to the field—is driven by reliable data earlier, so you can make decisions based on confidence, not uncertainty. Where you had instant access to reliable utility data and a clear vision of what lies beneath the surface, allowing you to plan, design, and build smarter, faster, and safer.

That world isn’t some distant future—it’s happening now, and 4M’s leading this digital transformation.

You’re here because being an infrastructure professional isn't just a job for you—it's the backbone of everything we rely on daily. From the roads that connect us to the utilities that power our lives, you understand its immense value. But poor utility data holds you back.

Traditional methods have brought us this far, but they no longer suffice.

You're searching for what's next, something better. However, we know that change isn't easy. You've experienced the frustration of fragmented, outdated, and unreliable utility data derailing your projects. But you're not alone, and that's exactly why we've created a platform to unite the brightest minds in the industry and chart a new course forward.

Welcome to Inside the Minds of Infrastructure Experts: Convos with Chris.

In this new video series from 4M, I dive deep with industry leaders who are rewriting the rules on infrastructure planning and development through AI and Innovation to help future-proof America’s infrastructure.

The experts agree: Gathering subsurface utility data is an endless challenge. 

“Every single dispute I’m involved in has delays related to buried utilities,” says Len Vetrone, Founder of Optimal Tiebreak Solutions. “I’m not exaggerating. Every one. It’s a common thread.”

With more than 45 years of civil market strategy experience — including key leadership roles at WebCore, Walsh Group, and Skanska — Vetrone shares his perspective on the industry’s evolving challenges in this episode.

In another conversation, John A. Franich, EVP & GM at Joseph J. Albanese Co., shares his experience working on public infrastructure projects in California. “I was on a Caltrans committee, and we identified the biggest impacts to our projects. It was unanimous amongst everybody there that utility conflicts were creating the biggest issues, and utility issues were one of the biggest issues preventing these jobs from getting to bid.”

Dwight Pullen, Jr., SVP, Global Aviation Leader at AECOM, brings a wealth of insight into the urgent nature of aviation infrastructure projects in the U.S. and the challenges civil engineers face in getting them done.

“The airports that really are in need are the mid-sized and small ones, like Cincinnati and Pittsburgh,” Pullen says. “They’re in a really tough spot to upgrade because they often don’t have the staff and actual data and intelligence from recent expansions [that larger airports do]. Budgets are really tight and they can’t afford for a mistake to happen on the infrastructure side, so anything that informs us on subsurface issues is hugely important.” 

Pullen sees the value of utilizing AI and innovation to ease the burden in these projects. “There's more human error in some of the stuff we do than technology. So why not lean on technology to do the computational and repetitive things that technology is there for?”

When I talked with Michael Cobelli, founder of Cobelli Consulting, he shared expertise from more than 35 years in the industry, focusing on civil market strategy. 

“It was always a major challenge to get the team to give utility research the urgency it deserves,” Cobelli says. “It’s not sexy, for lack of a better way to put it.” And doing the legwork for traditional utility research has never been attractive, either. “It was always giving people a list of names and a list of utilities and saying, ‘Go figure it out. Go get the drawings and get the right people involved in the project.’ There was no one-stop shopping.”

That’s where 4M Analytics is flipping the script, says Cobelli. “4M might not be the holy grail of what we've been looking for, but it’s pretty close. It’s a game-changer for the industry moving forward.” For example, learn how MasTec accelerated records research by 7 months using 4M.

Randell Iwasaki, former Director of Transportation at Caltrans and current President of Iwasaki Consulting, shared, “One of the major issues I’ve faced during my career managing construction projects is utilities.” He added, “Anytime you can utilize big data or analytics to get a better picture of buried utilities, it’s a good thing.”

The Future of Infrastructure: Insights from Industry Leaders

Ready to rethink your approach to infrastructure planning and development and hear from others who are doing the same?

For more insights on AI, innovation, and the future of utility intelligence in the infrastructure industry, check out my conversations with industry experts at Inside the Minds of Infrastructure Experts: Convos with Chris.