STRATEGIC PROGRAM DELIVERY METHODS: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

Transportation programming is the process of developing and improving transit facilities using innovation and technology. Transportation programs are often developed with a vision that these facilities sustain and serve for a longer period. Delivering projects on time and within budget, distributing funding effectively, and managing resources are typical driving forces for program delivery. Project delivery methods such as traditional design-bid-build (DBB), design-build (DB), construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC), and public–private partnerships (P3) are used for the successful delivery of the program. Each delivery method has certain performance opportunities in terms of cost, schedule, quality, risk management, and other performance metrics. Developing an effective strategic plan by incorporating these diverse delivery options is critical to the success of the program. The aim of this thesis is to explore the use of transportation program delivery and identify the benefits and challenges of program delivery. This thesis utilized survey and case studies as research tools to fulfill the objective of the research. The results show that the most significant benefits of the strategic approach to transportation program delivery are accelerated delivery, flexibility in reassessing and reassigning risk, flexibility in delivery scheduling, increased innovation, improved performance using bundling, and standardized design technique. The major challenges of using a strategic approach to program delivery are extensive community outreach, organizational changes, coordination of multiple projects, and lack of experienced personnel. The results of this study will provide for practitioners and professionals with proactive measures and guidance on successfully delivering their transportation programs.