Genetic algorithms could help civil engineers and planners avoid construction headaches—or, at the very least, minimize the pain.

You're a commuter, your daily rush-hour ordeal made even more grueling by the hassle of unexpected merging lanes, the heady essence of asphalt, and the sign-toting, orange-clad road crew ahead. Resurfacing the road again? you think. But they just did that two years ago! Is this why my taxes are so high?

When it comes to major public construction projects, it's not just the public who wants the end product to be faster, cheaper, and better. The Federal Highway Authority estimates that a staggering $94 billion will be spent on transportation infrastructure every year for the next twenty years. Not surprisingly, state and federal transportation departments want to make sure that their significant infrastructure investments are worthwhile--and they've upped the stakes. The traditional bidding process, in which the least expensive estimate wins the contract, has undergone a transformation in recent years. Cost is no longer the primary factor in determining who gets the job; now project duration--the amount of time that drivers will be negotiating the construction--and quality and durability--are also important criteria.

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