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at MoDOT: If a districts' project comes in under budget, the through formal and informal channels. It extends to the
savings are returned to that district for future projects under host of federal, state, regional, and local government agencies
its purview. At the same time, if projects come in over budget, involved at all levels of project development and delivery. It
the money is taken from the overall district budget. involves contractors. And it extends to the general public.
Conclusions Innovative Design Practices
MoDOT is doing much to accelerate project and program MoDOT, like several other state DOTs, has engaged CSS
delivery. The Missouri Tracker sets the organizational strategic concepts in its design processes through the development
goals and direction, while Practical Design is one of the tools of Practical Design policies and manual. What seems par-
and methods of doing business to accomplish tangible results. ticularly unique in MoDOT's application of CSS is the clearly
Other salient points observed at MoDOT are summarized in stated desire and sharp focus on delivering more "good
the following sections. enough" projects better, faster, and cheaper, with the end
result being a great statewide transportation system.
Committed Leader
Emphasis on an Open and Clear System
There is no way to overestimate the impact that the current of Performance Measures
director of MoDOT, Pete Rahn, has had on the department's
The Tracker has evolved quickly into an important depart-
commitment to accelerate projects and quickly create a great
mental tool for measuring MoDOT's overall performance,
transportation system in Missouri. In the five years that he has
including its ability to accelerate projects and programs. Its
served, there appears to have been a significant internal shift
measures are both clear and results oriented. Champions of
to high performance for the benefit of the state's taxpayers,
each measure are named and therefore clearly identifiable,
as well as a perception outside the agency that a positive
internally as well as externally to the public. The Tracker is
transformation has occurred. Perhaps the greatest compli-
published quarterly, to facilitate better judgment of trends
ment to the director's role in creating this environment was
and provide time to adjust strategies in performance. It mea-
the MoDOT official who felt that the informal and formal
sures present-day effectiveness against past trends. Most
changes implemented by Rahn would last well beyond his
important, it is a tool that is of equal importance to effectively
tenure as director. Values such as honoring commitments,
managing MoDOT and its various responsibilities, as well
appreciating diversity, fostering a caring workplace, being
as building credibility among Missourians about how their
responsive and courteous, encouraging risk and accepting
transportation system is performing. This "public window"
failure, empowering employees, and innovative decision mak-
via web access is the greatest testimony to MoDOT's efforts
ing are practiced by senior leaders and filtered down through-
toward transparency.
out the organization. Essentially, the director has succeeded in
MoDOT has experienced a cultural shift in the last five years.
achieving total organizational buy-in for MoDOT's mission.
Beginning with the Tracker and Practical Design, both of which
were implemented in 2005, these strategies are designed to
Strong Reliance on Staff exceed customer expectations, maintain accountability, and
continuously improve quality. A focus on turning ideas to
In an era of shrinking state DOT staffs, Missouri seems to
reality and implementing best practices to produce results,
have bucked the trend. Not only has there been an effort to
while striving for innovation and radically controlling costs,
retain staff and competency levels, but there has been a move
has done much to speed its programs and projects from con-
to help employees develop new skills and foster new working
ception to completion.
relationships and to refocus them toward delivering projects,
meeting performance goals, and acknowledging customer
needs and viewpoints. New Jersey
Pipelines to Project Delivery
Coordination and Communication Are Critical
The New Jersey DOT's mission statement is "Improving
It is a major department-wide goal to improve and maintain Lives by Improving Transportation." This motto is one that
communication and coordination with the wide range of part- challenges the New Jersey DOT (NJDOT) in its efforts to
ners MoDOT needs to engage in order to effectively deliver its improve its aging infrastructure and roadway networks that
projects and programs. The communication begins internally, commuters have come to depend on. NJDOT's philosophy
as managers and staff share best practices, progress, and issues begins with addressing the critical goals and objectives of
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safety first, fix it first, congestion relief, smart growth, inter- services, interest, bond retirement, grants, and local aid. Total
modal efficiency, environmental/quality of life, and economic disbursements amounted to $3.8 billion. (72) However, it has
development opportunities. (72) been estimated that approximately $7 billion is required to
New Jersey's state highway system consists of approxi- bring the state's deteriorating infrastructure to acceptable
mately 38,000 centerline miles of roadways, of which the DOT standards.
owns and maintains approximately 2,344 miles. The remaining Roads and bridges that were designed for the 20th century
roads fall under county and municipal jurisdictions. Although have outgrown their useful life and must now be upgraded
NJDOT manages only 6 percent of the roads, about 67 percent or rehabilitated to 21st century standards. According to
of all traffic, including heavy trucks, use these state-owned NJDOT's discussion group, limited revenue resources along
roads. A recent measure of state roadway roughness and dis- with competing demands do not provide the necessary funds
tress measurement indicates that approximately 49 percent and tools to restore and rebuild New Jersey's infrastructure
of the state's highway system is deficient. (72) needs. The new mode of operations currently in place at
With a population of approximately 8.7 million, New Jersey NJDOT is focused on rehabilitation and maintenance of
is the most densely populated state in the nation. Surpris- existing infrastructure.
ingly, this urban environment has only six urban cities with
more than 100,000 people, based on a 2004 estimate. (29) New
Organizational Structure
Jersey's geographic location in the Northeast Corridor, its
immediate proximity to New York City, and major economic The NJDOT has always had a predominantly centralized
generators and industries--such as ports, airports, warehous- organizational structure. It is a tiered structure wherein the
ing, and pharmaceuticals--generate high volumes of com- commissioner provides leadership to his or her subordinates.
muter, freight, and recreational traffic. These volumes place a Under the deputy commissioner, assistant commissioners,
huge burden on the roadway system to carry ever-increasing along with directors and program managers, address the
amounts of everyday traffic. DOT's organizational and operational issues. Directors, pro-
More telling is the number of VMT on state roads. New Jer- gram managers, department heads, and regional managers
sey experiences 75 billion VMT annually on federal aid high- all provide direction and guidance in their respective areas
ways. (72) When compared to other Northeast Corridor states, to deliver their short-range and long-range programs and
New Jersey also has the most densely traveled lane miles. The projects. The three major areas under the deputy commis-
wear and tear of daily traffic, the multiple freezethaw cycles sioner that contribute to program delivery are (a) Planning
of the temperate winter climate, and heavy truck traffic cause and Development, (b) Capital Program Management, and
pavement surfaces to deteriorate more quickly than states in (c) Operations. Of these, Capital Program Management lies
other locations. Transportation professionals in New Jersey at the heart of project delivery.
have the unique challenge of finding ways to deliver projects NJDOT has satellite offices and maintenance facilities
amid fluctuating climatic conditions, limited space require- located throughout the state, but all major decisions are made
ments, and the increasing heavy truck traffic that passes over from the central office in Trenton. Centralizing all offices and
New Jersey's roads and interstates to get to their destinations. units in one location has allowed for better communication,
Apart from the aging infrastructure, New Jersey also faces not only within different units but also with external stakehold-
problems with congestion. Despite the increase in population ers. While the organization is somewhat vertical, there have
and employment, New Jersey has recognized that it "cannot been many internal changes resulting in a flatter and more
build [its] way out of congestion" and must instead look to horizontal approach to reduce the formalities inherent in "tall"
innovative solutions and practical approaches to address its organizations.
transportation needs. Fourteen percent of the roads operate
at or over capacity. Congestion in New Jersey is no longer
Internal Reorganization
reserved just for peak hour traffic; pockets of urban New
Jersey's roads experience congestion lasting more than one NJDOT has also gone through several internal reorgani-
hour, and experience increasing delays at other bottlenecks zations. However, reorganization did not simply occur on
and intersections. (72) one level. At the macroscopic level, there were global changes
State funding for New Jersey in 2006 came from a variety within NJDOT that allowed the department to move from
of sources including user tax revenues, road and crossing long-duration, high-development cost to lower cost and higher
tolls, general funds, bond proceeds, the federal government, efficiency in project delivery. These overarching elements of re-
and other miscellaneous income. Total receipts amounted to organization involved a pipeline approach to project delivery,
$4.9 billion. Disbursements were allocated to the national capital investment strategy, and a management-by-objective
highway system, roads and streets, maintenance and highway approach. At the microscopic level, fine-tuning of community
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partnering, agency partnering, and task order contracts has approach, projects were scoped to have realistic objectives.
helped to expedite projects. Those objectives were periodically evaluated and monitored.
NJDOT's reorganization involved restructuring where The project management philosophy introduced a differ-
certain functions were handled. For instance, environmental ent way of delivering projects. The concept of the triple con-
documentation was only initiated in the Division of Project straints--a balancing of scope, schedule, and budget--became
Management (DPM) after an initially preferred alternative a code that project managers lived by. Project managers
was selected in the Division of Project Development (DPD). became more aware of their role in integration management
Not only did this entail an official handoff from one unit to and the importance of such things as project charters, project
another, but critical time was also lost in the ramp-up efforts management plans, and change control procedures. A greater
to gain an understanding of the initially preferred alternative emphasis from upper management on managing scope and
and the preparation of environmental documentation. At maintaining schedules guided the project managers to deliver
each phase, a new group of individuals would have to famil- projects in an organized manner.
iarize themselves with the history, project data and infor- The push to move toward a project management philos-
mation, decisions, stakeholders, and particular challenges of ophy met with some resistance initially. But the philosophy
the project. Often, decisions made by the DPD were ques- takes this into account and provides a holistic acceleration
tioned by the DPM, and projects would either take longer to approach from the initiation of a project to its end. More
advance or additional effort would be required to move the important, through the project charter, a formal recognition
project forward. Some of this effort involved rework and a of the project allowed the project manager to begin work,
resulting loss of time and budget. In an effort to streamline assign resources, make decisions, and orchestrate a plan that
the environmental process, activities related to environmen- provided an end product for users. Not only did the project
tal documentation were brought into the development phase management philosophy change the way NJDOT did projects,
of the project. This way, the environmental process could start but it also aligned programs with the department's overall
sooner in the project's life cycle, with other tasks being per- business goals; ergo, the need for a formal process to man-
formed concurrently, and remain with the same individuals age projects was established.
who were involved in the earlier decision-making process.
Prior to the reorganization, the Office of Access Design
Consultant Continuity to
and the Major Access Permit unit were under the Division of
Expedite Project Delivery
Design Services. Managers found that many access functions
had a direct impact on right-of-way, which would then impact NJDOT has significantly reduced its staff from 6,000 to
project delivery. These units were relocated under the Divi- only 3,000 employees in the last 10 years. This staff reduction
sion of ROW, which functions under the Capital Program has affected the way programs and projects are processed.
Management area. This relocation bridged the gap between To meet the demands of programs that need to be delivered
ROW and access functions and caused some of the ROW on an annual basis, NJDOT frequently procures professional
acquisition processes and access alteration processes to be consultant services. Consultants are brought on board to
streamlined. perform concept developments, feasibility assessments, en-
vironmental documents, design, and construction services.
Often, a consultant's expertise becomes valuable when the
Project Management Philosophy
department looks to research and develop a new program or
Reorganization within the Capital Program Management process as well. One of the challenges that New Jersey faces
area also involved a more critical step toward changing the way with a reduced work force is maintaining a wealth of knowl-
projects were delivered. Approximately 12 years ago, NJDOT edge (of the organization) that is tacit and transactive at the
began making the change toward a project managementbased same time.
philosophy. This philosophy provided guidelines for proj- More recently, the NJDOT has taken a step forward
ect managers in terms of how projects should be initiated, to expedite project delivery through the implementation of
planned, executed, controlled, and closed, requiring the Capi- qualification-based consultant selection in batches and the
tal Program Management area to undergo a paradigm shift in use of consultant task orders for simpler projects of similar
the way projects were being delivered. The phases of a proj- scope. This initiative has eliminated the downtime between
ect (planning, design, and construction) were analyzed for project phases and enhanced the department's procure-
redundancies and potential areas where time was being lost ment management practices.
in the project cycle. Reorganization of that area transformed In the past, a qualification-based consultant selection was
project phases, causing it to take a more unified approach performed for each separate phase of a project, regardless of its
in delivering projects. Using a management-by-objective scope. For instance, one consultant might have been respon-
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sible for the feasibility assessment phase of a project, while a Pipeline History
different consultant would undertake the design phase. Over
The pipelines concept came about in the late 1990s. It was
its life cycle, the project might have passed through three or
more different consultants. From the NJDOT end, this pro- the result of numerous NJDOT units coming together to find
cess required additional administrative time and effort to ways of streamlining project delivery from its inception. Prior
prepare RFPs and select consultants. At the consultant end, to this time, projects had their beginnings in a Regional
ramp-up efforts were required when a new consultant was Design Office of the Division of Design and ROW and were
selected for the next phase of the project. then transferred to a centralized Environmental group. This
To provide better continuity, the new consultant solici- unit would perform environmental screening and implement
tation process incorporates language that allows one con- the NEPA process to secure the necessary environmental doc-
sultant to take the project from inception to completion, umentation. The project would be transferred once again to
from purpose and need definition through to final design the Project Management group for design. A final transfer
and construction services. It permits a contract to be mod- would occur when the project was let and entered the final
ified such that the same consultant may remain assigned to phase, construction. However, in the initial attempts at accel-
the project through multiple phases, at the request of the eration, depending upon the complications and challenges
department, without needing to undergo additional con- of a project at any point in the cycle, the project had the
sultant selections. Therefore, the DPD has the ability to se- tendency to slow in momentum because of scope changes,
lect a consultant from a group of qualified consultants and to be reprioritized due to funding, to be "thrown" back into
subsequent divisions can allow that consultant to perform DPD possibly due to fatal flaws or insufficient assessments,
all aspects of a project. The intent is that one consultant can or simply to be halted due to stakeholder opposition. All of
provide continuity from beginning to end, reducing admin- these factors contributed to increased budgets, hours of re-
istrative time in responding to preparing proposal documents work, and delayed project delivery. Management wanted to
and allowing for seamless continuity through project phases. eliminate those pitfalls and provide a fluid process whereby
Another key element of maintaining one consultant through projects could consistently follow a path to completion.
the life of the project is that it allows for a better knowledge Through years of refining their existing processes, the four
management system. In other words, critical information and pipelines were created and redefined to provide a clear path to
knowledge that is acquired as a project gains momentum is plan, develop, design, and construct transportation projects
less likely to be lost if the same team of individuals is involved from the time that an issue is simply a problem statement.
from beginning to end. These pipelines are now a fundamental way for projects to
follow a defined process, build on the basic information and
data, and gain momentum as they pass through the multiple
Best Practice for New Jersey:
phases of concept development, feasibility assessment, design,
Pipelines to Project Delivery
and finally to construction and completion.
Propelling a project forward through critical milestones and
a multitude of activities is possible if the right components are
Capital Projects Procedures
in place throughout the life of the project. Pipelines to proj-
ect delivery have helped NJDOT achieve just that. "Pipelines" The pipelines are a part of a larger set of Capital Projects
are customized paths that facilitate and ensure that all the ele- Procedures (CPP). The CPP serve as a guide that allows
ments required for project delivery are addressed from the NJDOT staff and design consultants to follow a consistent set
onset of purpose and need assessment through construction. of steps to produce the best product--a safe, efficient trans-
There are four different pipelines, each representing a differ- portation system. Given that the execution of projects requires
ent level of project complexity and common characteristics. practical engineering judgment, the CPP is flexible enough
Pipeline 1 is the most complex pipeline; projects in this pipe- to allow for changes. Both NJDOT staff and consultants
line require a purpose and need, environmental documenta- have some authority to seek changes that eliminate waste-
tion, a full feasibility assessment, and preliminary and final ful steps, reduce cost, or even add steps without an undue
design. Pipeline 2 projects are those that qualify for a Cate- increase in time, as long as legal issues and regulations are
gorical Exclusion, with less intensive purpose and need and met. (73) Inasmuch as the guide provides an organized flow
feasibility assessment work. Pipeline 3 projects require min- of activities that move projects forward, it allows all partici-
imal or no work on ROW issues and are relatively simple in pants working on a project to have the same understanding
scope. Last, Pipeline 4 projects are the least complicated and and expectations of how the project will advance step by step.
are usually delivered by in-house maintenance and opera- NJDOT broadly defines five critical phases of a project:
tions staff. screening, purpose and need (PN), feasibility assessment (FA),
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design, and construction. Projects that are simple, that require · Assessment of any additional needs that may have been
little or no ROW acquisition, which have minimal potential uncovered and a determination of whether those needs
for community concern, and those that are eligible for pro- should be addressed at the current time or suspended for
grammatic approvals can bypass the PN and FA phases. These future action, or to spin them off as separate problem
types of projects are typically limited in scope so they can pro- statements
ceed directly into design and construction. Other projects are · Identification of project limits
screened and entered into an appropriate pipeline for devel- · Field visit findings
opment and execution. · NJDOT staff coordination
· Results of environmental screenings--the Bureau of Envi-
ronmental Project Support is requested to review the poten-
Front End of Pipelines
tial project scope. It determines whether its involvement is
Before a project enters a pipeline, some front-end prelim- necessary based on issues regarding hazardous waste, air and
inary work has to be performed to analyze the problem state- noise, and other environmental impacts.
ment and assign the appropriate pipeline. The Capital Pro- · Public involvement concerns
gramming and Funds Management unit receives problem · Context-sensitive solutions issues/opportunities
statements and evaluates them using a two-tiered screening
process. Overall, problem statements are evaluated based upon Recommendations resulting from the Tier 1 and Tier 2
the Capital Investment Strategy, funding constraints, and other screenings define the priority for advancement of the project,
factors that may be influential to the problem statement. limits of the project scope, pipeline path, and anticipated
NEPA classification. Pipeline 1 and 2 projects typically require
Tier 1 Screening. The Tier 1 screening uses information
purpose and need as well as feasibility assessment. Results and
available and collected by the Management Systems Com-
recommendations provided by the Bureau of Environmental
mittees as well as information generated by other sources.
Project Support and the Office of Community Relations play
Taken together, the coordination and analysis conducted by
a significant role in determining the pipeline assignment. (73)
the Capital Investment Strategy process along with the man-
Tier 2 screenings are more involved than Tier 1 screenings
agement systems information serve to inform the selection
and suggest the quickest, most streamlined path that a proj-
of an appropriate pipeline for the problem statement. If a
ect could follow to bring it to construction. This suggestion
problem statement is targeted for Pipeline 1 or 2, it will also
could result in additional sub-projects that may potentially
undergo a Tier 2 screening. Problem statements that have
follow different pipelines. After a Tier 2 screening is com-
the potential to advance through Pipeline 3 or 4 are reviewed
pleted, the project may follow either Pipeline 1, 2, 3, or 4 or it
to ensure that a Tier 2 screening is not required.
may be withdrawn completely from NJDOT responsibility
Tier 2 Screening. A Tier 2 screening is conducted by the and reassigned to local, MPO, or toll road authority; recycled
DPD. Such screening identifies and assesses any other needs into the project pool for reassignment in later years; or termi-
within the project limits. Because Tier 2 screenings are more nated altogether. A Tier 2 screening does not ensure that a
detailed and involved, a technical assessment in the field may project will be advanced.
be required, additional in-house subject matter experts may
be enlisted for their expertise and opinion, and community
Management Systems Input
officials may be contacted to obtain a better understanding of
the problem statement. "A prioritized, hierarchical recom- Both Tier and 1 and Tier 2 reports look to internal data
mendation is made that identifies the quickest, most stream- repositories to collect information on congestion, pavement
lined path that a proposal could reasonably follow after com- condition, safety, drainage issues, maintenance, and rock fall
pilation and assessment of the needs, and will sort the [problem hazards. Management systems that are continually maintained
statement] into the appropriate project pipeline." (73) and updated for certain conditions on transportation facili-
Tier 2 screening reports are short-term studies performed ties across New Jersey are listed below (73):
on potential project locations that help the Capital Program
Committee make decisions on a series of issues regarding · Congestion Management System
the potential project. Decisions regarding the selection of the · Pavement Management System
appropriate pipeline revolve around the following issues: · Bridge Management System
· Safety Management System
· Identification of any other needs in the project vicinity, · Drainage Management System
which may not have been addressed in the original problem · Maintenance Management System
statement · Rock Fall Hazard Rating System Underground Strata
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These databases provide relevant information on which tal concerns must account for those activities that address
some preliminary decisions can be based. For instance, a the environmental documentation and permitting aspects of
problem statement regarding the improvement of an inter- the project. The pipeline it is assigned to must address those
section is evaluated for the level of congestion, safety issues, activities in a logical, sequential manner so that all key tasks
pavement conditions, drainage concerns, and other factors are identified and performed. A simpler resurfacing project
that the intersection has. These factors are weighed against would not require the multitude of activities inherent in a
and among the factors of other problem statements. This bridge construction project, and thus could be simplified to
comparison allows the severity of the problem statement to include only those tasks required for a less complex project.
be ranked. An intersection may rank high for level of conges- For this reason, multiple pipelines were established to allow
tion but have little or no adverse pavement conditions. Other the simpler projects to bypass the elaborate, complex process
problem statements may concern potential projects with seri- required by larger projects. Figure 16 shows the process flow
ous safety threats as well as poor drainage conditions. Ranking diagram of the project delivery process.
the problem statements on a system-wide basis using a con- The pipelines offer a template of activities that can be further
sistent set of parameters identifies which problem statements customized to fit the needs of each project. No two projects
are most in need of attention. are the same, so they are not handled with a "cookie cutter"
approach. The pipelines provide a dual advantage: they offer
Capital Program Committee--"A Good Layer project managers the flexibility to be selective in the tasks that
of Bureaucracy" are performed for each project, while providing a controlled
guideline of activities to follow for project delivery. While the
The Capital Program Committee (CPC) stands as an inter- key elements of a pipeline remain the same, minor tasks can
mediary or a last step for projects selected for advancement be modified to allow a project to move at a quicker pace. For
to a pipeline. This committee provides a "check and balance" example, a Pipeline 2 template may outline up to three brief-
to ensure that the projects selected for advancement by the ings of community officials as a general rule, but a project
Capital Program Screening Committee include the right proj- manager may feel that only two are required to resolve the is-
ect scope and enter the right pipeline. Without CPC approval, sues concerning the community. Simply removing the third
a project cannot proceed to any of the four pipelines. Even community officials briefing from the schedule could accel-
"anticipated NEPA classifications" are contingent upon CPC's erate the project by up to three months. Such small adjust-
approval. (73) ments to and fine tuning of the pipeline tasks by the project
The DPD seeks approval from the Capital Program Screen- managers and consultants allow for more expedient project
ing Committee. Management approval is important regard- delivery. Conversely, FHWA review and other agency-related
less of the pipeline or path that is selected for a project. This tasks may be less easy to adjust and project managers must
approval aids the DPD and project manager in securing the work within the framework of their standard time frames.
support units that help to expedite project delivery. The four pipelines that NJDOT has established are discussed
Beyond the task of approving projects to enter pipelines, in the following paragraphs.
the CPC is also responsible for decisions related to ongoing
projects. Existing projects that require formal changes in Pipeline 1: Full Purpose and Need/Feasibility Assessment/
scope (increase or decrease) and allocation of additional funds Preliminary Design/Final Design Pipeline Process. This is
are reviewed by the CPC. As such, according to one manager the most complex pipeline. Projects in this pipeline require
at NJDOT, the CPC provides "a good layer of bureaucracy" to extensive purpose and need definition followed by a feasi-
ensure that funds are spent wisely, using "the right treatment, bility assessment. Additionally, Pipeline 1 projects are likely
at the right time, at the right place, and at the right cost." This to involve the preparation of an Environmental Impact State-
approach allows the NJDOT to appropriately use available ment or at the very least an Environmental Assessment as
funds, taking into consideration timing, treatment selection, opposed to a Categorical Exclusion Document. At the con-
and priority locations. clusion of the feasibility assessment and environmental
documentation, the project advances to the DPM where it
Propelling through the Pipelines continues through the pipeline with activities related to
preliminary and final design. (73)
Pipelines are customized to differentiate one pipeline from
another. Projects are accelerated through pipelines because Pipeline 2. This pipeline includes projects that are classi-
they offer a direct, precise set of tasks and activities based on fied as Categorical Exclusions under NEPA. Through a screen-
the complexity and characteristics of a project. For instance, ing process, these projects do not require extensive PN or FA
a complex bridge construction project that has environmen- work. PN efforts include only a fatal flaw analysis and sufficient
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New Jersey Department of Transportation
Capital Project Delivery Process
Project Sources Project Screening
Purpose And Feasibility Preliminary Final
Need Assessment Design Design
Construction
Tasks
NJDOT Capital
Then, the Division of
Development Program Tier 1 Options Project Development Design Approved Produce final utility, Advertise for Bids
Planning Studies (DPD) conducts a Tier 2 Collect data Complete and evaluate a Project Plan construction plans and
Screening to propose the range of alternatives specifications
NJDOT Management Assign to pipeline quickest path to project Assess Impacts and Develop Right-of-Way
systems Perform Tier 2 delivery and the costs Plans Award Project
Problem Statements Screening appropriate pipleline Evaluate Deficiencies
Complete environmental Acquire right-of-way
MPO Assign to outside documentation Obtain access permits
Coordinate with
Agency Coordinate with stakeholders and NJDOT Conclude access Obtain environmental Build Project
Terminate stakeholders and Core Group process permits
NJDOT Core Group Initiate Utility Process
Public
Identify fatal flaws Continue Utility Complete Utility
Process Process
Obtain Public input Keep public involved Keep public involved Keep public informed
Obtain public input
Gain community
Projects are first Gain Community Maintain community Maintain communtiy Maintain community
consensus
evaluated by the consensus support support support
Division of
Capital Final construction
Purpose and Need Approved Project Plan
Programs and Initial plans and specs plans, specifications
Statement and Approved environmental Project Completed
Funds Tier 2 Conceptual Solutions document and final scope Environmental Permits and estimates
Product Environmental Permits
Management to Options
determine the
appropriate CPM
project delivery Complete Tier 2 DPD DPD CPM CPM
Operations
process Screening
assignment
Place in future study
and development
program
Assign to: Preliminary Final
Construction
Pipeline Design Design
1
Purpose and Feasibility
Pipeline Need Assessment
May include some 2 Preliminary Final
Purpose and Need
and Feasibility Assessment
Design Construction
Design
Pipeline 3 Purpose and Feasibility Final
May include some
Preliminary Need Assessment Construction
Design to support Design
environmental document
Pipeline Process Pipeline 4
May include Final Design Maintenance
As a project develops, NJDOT will Terminate Contract
look for opportunities to advance
or accelerate it to the next stage of
the Project Delivery Process
Source: New Jersey Department of Transportation, http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/capital/pd/pdf/CPDProcess.pdf
Figure 16. Flow diagram of the NJDOT project delivery process.
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engineering work to establish a scope for preliminary design. is required for Pipeline 4 projects and usually is performed
The PN statement also includes an analysis of ROW and util- by in-house forces. Projects in Pipeline 4 may include the
ity involvement. Examples of projects that enter Pipeline 2 following (73):
typically include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Resurfacing projects
· In-kind bridge replacements · Traffic signal projects (timing and rehabilitation)
· Bridge rehabilitations · Traffic striping
· Simple intersection improvements
· Drainage projects
Preliminary and Final Design
· Roadway resurfacings
· Safety upgrades At the tail end of PN and FA, a milestone is reached from
· Operational improvements the perspective of project delivery. The PN and FA phases of
the project are considered complete when environmental
Pipeline 2 projects typically require ROW acquisitions in documents have been approved and reasonable assurance for
fee or easement. They may also include projects that require design exception documents has been obtained. Only then do
a Section 106/Section 4(f) Alternatives Analysis (AA). For projects enter the final design phase and are officially trans-
example, projects that involve replacing historic bridges and ferred to the DPM. Although this transition introduces a new
other projects that have Programmatic 4(f) impacts usually team experienced in design and other technical details, the
enter this pipeline. The AA work on these projects may continuity of the project is provided by the pipeline. In other
be detailed but normally follows a very predictable scope of words, the pipeline also includes all activities related to final
alternatives. (73) design. The physical transfer of the project from one unit to
another does not hinder the project's delivery because the
Pipeline 3. This pipeline includes projects that have min- predetermined pipeline remains the same.
imal or no ROW concerns. They often meet the criteria for a Another measure of continuity is provided though the
Certified Categorical Exclusion. Pipeline 3 projects must also project manager. As soon as a project is initiated (while it is
have a finding of "No Effect" on any Section 106 resources. in the DPD), a project manager from the DPM is assigned
Examples of Pipeline 3 projects include, but are not limited to the project. This project manager assists with issues in
to, the following (73): the project that may become design and constructability
concerns when the project advances to the preliminary design
· In-kind bridge superstructure replacements (non-historic phase. Because the project manager is aware of the details of
bridges only), the project through its preliminary stages and has assisted
· Bridge deck replacements with certain decisions, he or she is able to mitigate risks more
· Bridge deck patching and minor rehabilitation effectively when the project hits "speed bumps." This project
· Roadway rehabilitation within existing right-of-way manager is the one individual who guides the project from
· Intersection improvements without right-of-way or major concept to completion.
utilities
· Drainage projects without right-of-way or major utilities Construction
· Roadway rehabilitation projects without right-of-way or
major utilities The pipeline process carries a project into construction
· Roadway resurfacing projects once the project's contract documents, including plans, speci-
· Safety upgrade projects fications, and estimates for construction, are completed. Again,
· Guiderail projects continuity is provided through the pipeline even though a con-
· Noise barrier projects without right-of-way or major utilities struction team takes the lead for the construction of the trans-
· Operational improvements without right-of-way or major portation facility. The project manager remains on the project
utilities. and works closely with the resident engineer in the field until
the project is constructed.
Most projects in Pipeline 3 can be designed by NJDOT
in-house staff. Tools
Pipeline 4. This is the simplest pipeline of the four. Proj- To track a program and the numerous projects that com-
ects entering this pipeline are assigned directly to the Opera- pose its surface transportation aspects, a sophisticated soft-
tions area for implementation. Minimal plan development ware is used that can monitor the minute details of every
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project in the pipeline as well as provide summary overviews asset management plan will provide "a foundation for strate-
of an entire system of projects. NJDOT uses scheduling soft- gic, tactical, and operational decision making relative to
ware called Primavera to track, monitor, schedule, and deliver [NJDOT's] financial and human resources" so that NJDOT
its projects both in the DPD and in the Capital Program Man- can use a more systematic approach to managing its assets. To
agement area. Regardless of pipeline, all projects--from their move from a "worst-first" crisis response funding approach
inception with purpose and need definition--actually follow to a system-wide assessment and system conditiondriven
a Primavera schedule all the way through to final design. But approach to investment will be a big step for New Jersey. (74)
when a project moves into construction, a new schedule is cre-
ated. The construction schedule is distinct from the previous
Approach
schedule that depicted all the activities of purpose and need,
feasibility assessment, preliminary design, and final design. The project prioritization and selection process is a four-
Consultants working on NJDOT projects provide monthly step approach starting with asset management, moving to
updates for projects. Updates are entered into a master sched- capital investment strategy, then project prioritization, and
ule that then provides an outlook for a group of projects or finally the capital program. Asset Management involves poli-
all projects that are in the system. As a whole, projects can be cies, programming, program delivery, and information and
compared and forecasts can be developed for future activities, analysis. The use of performance measures and good data
delays, constraints, and the potential for acceleration. will help to drive and support the decision making. As such,
Different Primavera schedules exist for the four pipelines so performance measures and performance analysis will help in
that unnecessary activities do not lengthen or delay a realistic determining how well various alternative investment scenar-
deliverable schedule. ios perform over time. Program trade-offs can be identified
and the right mix of projects can be advanced to the pipelines
for delivery.
Back End of Pipelines
The capital investment strategy allocates average annual
The end of the Pipeline 1, 2, and 3 processes is when the funding targets for general categories of investments (struc-
FHWA Agreement Closing and Suspense Analysis occur. A tural assets, road assets, safety, congestion, multimodal invest-
final audit is performed by an NJDOT auditor to ensure that ments and support facilities) over the next 10 years.
the facilities built are acceptable. For Pipeline 4 projects, The third step, project prioritization, is where all the detail
which are typically constructed in the field with minimal or work begins once the capital investment targets are set. Exist-
no construction documents, the back end of the pipeline con- ing project delivery schedules and cost estimates are evalu-
sists of a final product constructed in the field, whether it be ated. Existing conditions are assessed and projections are
an operational improvement or basic roadway striping. made in terms of where New Jersey wants to be in 10 years
from an infrastructure perspective. New Jersey is currently in
the process of setting these goals. For certain systems, such as
Lessons Learned
pavement and bridge management, benchmarks exist and
NJDOT maintains a list of lessons learned. There is a for- potential goals are set for the future. In other categories, such
mal process in place for NJDOT staff to gather, review, and as safety and congestion, benchmarks are difficult to assess;
maintain the existing database of lessons learned. The Pro- ergo, the future goals and system-level outcomes are also dif-
gram Management Office maintains this database and solic- ficult to define. An important part of this step is the involve-
its lessons learned in order to populate and constantly update ment of the New Jersey's three MPOs. NJDOT and each MPO
the database. These approaches often lead to process improve- office negotiate project priorities and other constraints.
ments, revised standards, and policy revisions. The last step is the formalization of a capital program and
a 10-year capital plan. The capital program is a one-year pro-
gram and part of the overall state budget process. It requires
Asset Management
legislative approval for the state to use the funds on the out-
Transportation funding has rarely kept up with transporta- lined projects and programs. The 10-year capital plan requires
tion needs. New Jersey's annual capital budget is about $1.8 bil- MPO and FHWA approval, which include requirements for
lion, but it is estimated that approximately $3.5 billion is a four-year constrained capital.
needed for the state highway system. To prioritize the right
projects and spend the federal and state funds more wisely,
Asset Management Steering Committee
New Jersey is moving toward an asset management approach.
This approach will take into consideration the entire trans- Because asset management uses a performance-based pro-
portation system and evaluate it on a system-wide basis. An gramming approach, the Asset Management Steering Com-
