Mapping the Preconstruction Project Development Process for Transportation Projects

Project Development Process (PDP) is crucial for any state DOT to effectively meet its state transportation needs. Infrastructure projects are often complex and can pose significant challenges, including an incomplete and changing project scope, environmental and permitting requirements, and incomplete or inconsistent development processes, resulting in time and cost overruns. This paper focuses on the methodology to investigate and map an agency’s preconstruction PDP activities and development sequence to document current practices. It provides guidance to determine key PDP tasks, sub-tasks, and activity sequence for the agency’s various program/project type and funding source(s). The research team developed a five-step methodology to map PDP including a detailed review of state DOTs PDP and related literature followed by interviewing the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from various DOTs. Data were collected, coded, and analyzed to prepare PDP flowcharts for the agency. These flowchart tasks were then validated through a two-day focus group with a DOT leadership team. The PDP flowcharts for the case study DOT are based on program/project type, funding source, and environmental requirements.