An autonomous or semi-autonomous excavation vehicle is capable of determining a route between a start point and an end point in a site and navigating over the route. Sensors mounted on the excavation vehicle collect any or more of spatial, imaging, measurement, and location data to detect an obstacle between two locations within the site. Based on the collected data and identified obstacles, the excavation vehicle generates unobstructed routes circumventing the obstacles, obstructed routes traveling through the obstacles, and instructions for removing certain modifiable obstacles. The excavation vehicle determines and selects the shortest route of the unobstructed and obstructed route and navigates over the selected path to move within the site.