A View on the Future of Highways: A Q&A with Venkat Balusu

Highways are the backbone of global mobility. They move people and goods efficiently, support economic development and connect communities while enabling more sustainable ways of living. 

At Jacobs, our unmatched expertise in highway engineering, design, program and construction management, and safety helps us deliver smart, tailored solutions—thanks in part to leaders like Venkat Balusu. 

In this Q&A, we talk with our Global Solutions Director for Highways, Venkat Balusu, about the trends, technologies and strategies shaping the future of more resilient and connected highway systems. 

What does a typical day look like as Jacobs’ Global Solutions Director for Highways, and what do we offer clients in this space? 

For the past 12 years, I’ve supported Jacobs through our Global Integrated Delivery (GID) team, helping lead highway projects across several regions. In my new role, I apply that experience globally— connecting our top talent to tackle complex challenges and unlock new opportunities. 

By integrating insights from a diverse team, we deliver innovative solutions that add value and improve project outcomes. Working from a Global Design Center, I’ve developed strong relationships across the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, the U.K. and the U.S. I bring that global perspective to every project—sharing lessons learned and best practices to enhance delivery and control costs. 

What are the biggest challenges facing the highway sector today? 

Balancing cost control with high-quality delivery amid increasing regulations and tight deadlines is a major challenge. As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates, enhancing digital delivery and design automation is crucial for timely, smart solutions. 

Embracing digital practices is key to increasing project efficiency, reducing risk and staying competitive. But challenges remain, especially with data exchange, cross-discipline collaboration, model accuracy and stakeholder communication. While we have many standard drawings, organizing them and ensuring authentication and version control can be difficult. 

A critical challenge is keeping pace with new technology while staying aligned with industry trends. We need to accelerate the adoption of emerging tools to improve project performance. Some clients and projects still resist using interactive platforms—such as Building Information Modeling (BIM)—so it’s important to clearly demonstrate their value and positive impact on project outcomes. 

Another challenge is maintaining up-to-date infrastructure in a fast-moving digital environment. Regular system and software upgrades are essential to keep our teams productive and competitive. 

How do we help clients respond to these challenges in new ways? 

At Jacobs, we take a proactive, connected approach to solving highway infrastructure challenges. By leveraging our global experience and digital capabilities, we help clients adapt to change, improve performance and prepare for the future. 

• We apply global best practices to local projects, bringing added value and efficiency.
• We use advanced analytics, 3D simulations and BIM to help clients visualize long-term outcomes.
• We host collaborative workshops with clients, designers and stakeholders to explore climate-resilient materials and sustainable design.
• We develop digital tools that boost efficiency, improve collaboration and support better decision-making.
• We enhance data storage systems to make previous work more accessible—enabling smarter reuse of information.
• We prioritize safety in every design stage, using life-cycle cost analysis to add long-term value.
• We bring in the right expertise at the right time to solve problems effectively and drive results.