PennDOT Innovations Challenge Topic Announced

The PennDOT Innovations Challenge encourages students to use their problem-solving, creative, and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world transportation challenges in a competition among their peers. The Innovations Challenge is open to all students in grades 9-12, regardless of their school’s learning model.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is excited to share the Innovations Challenge topic for next school year. The 2025-2026 Innovations Challenge will focus on using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve work zone safety. Road construction is a necessary part of keeping Pennsylvania’s roads safe and reliable, but it also presents a unique challenge of keeping workers and the travelling public safe while navigating through them. As part of the challenge, students will be asked to explore how AI can dramatically improve safety for workers and drivers, and how smarter systems can be used to minimize accidents and protect those who are working to build a better Pennsylvania.

Please share this information with all faculty members and encourage them to consider including it in their curriculum planning for next year. More information, including complete challenge details, will be shared on PennDOT’s website once the challenge is officially launched in late summer/early fall.

For questions or more information, email PennDOT’s Bureau of Strategic Business Operations at mailto:DOTInnovations@pa.gov.