HEKA

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The Highway Engineer Knowledge Agent chatbot empowers design engineers in the MassDOT Highway Division to efficiently query department manuals and documentation, aiding in the design of quicker and safer infrastructure projects for commuters in Massachusetts.

Impact: Engineers in DOT regularly use the tool to surface up information on projects throughout the state. Both students were hired full-time as contractors with the DOT. They are very excited to roll out widely, and in early testing they’ve observed a 78% time savings compared to manual search. They have been trumpeting the success at numerous conferences.

Partner: Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

Status: Launched November 2024. DOT AI team came on in May 2025 and are looking at wider adoption with their Highway business team. 

PARTNERS