An Implementation Study of the Right-of-Way Acquisition and Utility Adjustment Process Duration Information (RUDI) Tool

For the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), accurately predicting the duration of Right-of-Way (R/W) acquisition and utility adjustment processes in highway projects has been deemed as one of the principal capabilities that regional districts should possess. TxDOT has sought to establish an effective methodology for predicting the durations of these two processes. The "Right-of-Way (R/W) Acquisition and Utility Adjustment Process Duration Information (RUDI) tool" was developed and has been analyzed for effectiveness in implementation on projects. RUDI is an Excel-based tool that takes into consideration user inputs regarding project circumstances, such as schedule urgency and levels of uncertainty. The accuracy of RUDI and the key drivers that affect the durations of R/W acquisition and utility adjustment have been examined in order to identify future enhancements of the RUDI tool. The drivers identified by the experts with the most predictive accuracy in estimating durations for R/W acquisition include "TxDOT Project Type," "District R/W Annual Budget," "Dedication of Funds to the Project," "Funding Limitations for the Project," "Level of Political Pressure," "Need for Residential Relocation," "Level of Local Availability of Replacement Housing Facilities," and "Likelihood of Title Curative Actions." Likewise, for the duration of the utility adjustment process, the drivers deemed by the ones with the most accurate predictions include "Dedication of Funds to the Project," "Funding Limitations for the Project," "Have Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) Investigations been Performed?" and "Adjustment is Reimbursable Utility or Non-Reimbursabe Utility." In addition to the identification of these critical drivers, the RUDI tool proved helpful in predicting durations with the better accuracy in spite of limited data availability. Specifically, RUDI provided experts with reasonable duration ranges that can be used in better forecasting the durations of utility adjustment. The study revealed that further research is needed to maximize the benefits of the RUDI tool, although validating the study findings was restricted due to a lack of data.