Improving Project DeliveryStatus Report Board of Supervisors Transportation Committee February 4, 2014

1. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Improving Project Delivery
Status Report
Board of Supervisors
Transportation Committee
February 4, 2014
Department of Transportation

2. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Background
• Revenues for transportation have significantly increased:
– HB 2313
– Tysons Transportation Funding Plan
– Secondary Road Program (funding increase beginning in 2017)
• Other funding sources anticipated to continue:
– C & I
– Transportation Bonds
• Six-year transportation project priorities approved by the Board on
January 28, 2014.
• Increased workload requires ongoing evaluation of ways to increase
efficiency and expedite delivery of new projects.
Department of Transportation
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3. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Background – Continued
• VDOT staff resources limited due
to expanded VDOT funding and
legislative limits on number of
VDOT personnel.
• Project delivery will require
expanded County role for both
secondary and primary roadway,
transit, bicycle, and pedestrian
projects.
• The County has been successfully
delivering transportation projects.
However, there are opportunities
to improve the efficiency of project
delivery.
Department of Transportation
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4. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Background – Continued
• FCDOT staff have been meeting
since June 2013 to discuss ways to
improve project delivery. Meetings
have included other agencies, such
as VDOT and DPWES.
• Many ideas were suggested by staff.
Some can likely be addressed in the
short-term, and some are already
underway.
• Others require longer-term
coordination, particularly those
involving outside agencies such as
VDOT and DPWES.
Department of Transportation
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5. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Anticipated Timeframe
 Suggested ideas were broken into the following timeframes:
• Actions Underway, and Short-term Recommendations:
– Could be implemented within 12 months.
• Mid-Term Recommendations:
– Could be implemented over next 2 to 3 years. Changes involve
staff efforts, policy decisions, and outside agency cooperation.
• Longer-Term Recommendations:
– Could be implemented over next 3 to 5. Changes involve staff,
policy decisions, legislative changes, and outside agency
cooperation.
Department of Transportation
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6. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Major Themes
 In addition, suggested ideas were divided into the following categories:
• Improve project budgeting and scheduling process.
• Identify project issues early.
• Improve communication.
• Expand staff capabilities.
Department of Transportation
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7. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Improve Budgeting and Scheduling
 Project budgets and estimates must occasionally be modified due to
unforeseen issues and project complexities which can be time
consuming.
Actions Recommended: Programming
• Clarify and formalize staff procedures and responsibilities for
appropriating funds.
• Prioritize and program individual projects within anticipated 6-year
funding stream. Recognize funding source and associated
requirements.
– FY 2014-2020 Cash Flow program in development.
• Investigate ways to reduce steps in the approval process.
Department of Transportation
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8. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Improve Budgeting and Scheduling - Continued
Actions Recommended: Project Level
• Improve accuracy of project cost estimates and develop realistic
schedules.
− Fully scope and analyze benefits and impacts of projects prior to
proceeding with project adoption/selection and implementation.
• Work with outside agencies, such as VDOT to expedite plan review
time for internal and external agencies.
• Expand countywide permit tools with VDOT.
• Streamline agreements with external agencies.
– Funding agreement with NVTA approved by the Board on January
28, 2014.
– Development of ‘annual’ Request to Administer (RTA) agreements
with VDOT is underway.
Department of Transportation
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9. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Identify Project Issues Early
 Unforeseen issues can delay projects.
Actions Recommended:
• Develop conceptual plans sufficient to ensure the project:
– Addresses utility, right-of-way, and environmental issues.
– Project scope is acceptable to the community.
Actions Underway:
• Improve project scoping and field review process.
• Identify utilities, right-of-way, and environmental issues earlier through a
more detailed and expanded scoping process.
• Coordinate with VDOT and other agencies earlier.
• Create Project Checklists.
• Create GIS layer for pending projects.
Department of Transportation
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10. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Identify Project Issues Early – Continued
Other Recommendations (mid-term):
• Identify legislative changes that would enhance project delivery.
Department of Transportation
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11. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Expand Staff Capabilities
 Project implementation technics and methods are complex and
continue to evolve.
Actions Underway and Short-Term Recommendations:
• Provide Additional Training on:
– Project Implementation and Scheduling
– Contracting/Procurement
– Technical Software
– Environmental Issues/Regulations
– Right-of-Way Impacts and Acquisition
– Proffer Research and Allocation
• Formally document consistent implementation procedures from
procurement to construction.
Department of Transportation
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12. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Expand Staff Capabilities – Continued
• Expand availability of technical and project management software.
• Strengthen design-build capabilities with new position approved by the
Board in FY 2014.
• Inventory of in-house expertise was completed.
Other Recommendations (mid-term):
• Formalize mentoring program for junior engineers to assist senior staff
on complex projects to build their professional experience.
• Develop standardized procedural documentation to provide consistent
training and project delivery.
• Hire project managers with areas of special technical expertise.
• Better align right-of-way and construction management efforts with
programming and design activities.
Department of Transportation
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13. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Improve Communication
 Effective communication between multiple disciplines, divisions, and
outside agencies is critical to efficient project delivery.
Actions Underway and Short-Term Recommendations:
• Expand project specific scoping meetings, and the participating
agencies.
• Formalize project delivery teams.
• Improve productivity of meetings by:
– Formalizing team meetings at appropriate plan review stages.
– Ensure that staff represented at meetings have authority to make
decisions, and ensure follow up on action items.
Department of Transportation
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14. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Improve Communication
Other Recommendations (mid-term)
• Continue to work with VDOT and DPWES to resolve project delivery
issues.
• Create integrated system on GIS layer for data, such as traffic counts,
proffers, VDOT permits, and environmental issues.
Department of Transportation
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15. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Other Alternative Delivery Methods
• Investigation of other alternative project delivery methods could include:
– Use of specialized or imbedded consultants.
– Work with VDOT to reinstall the ‘state construction forces.’
– Use of land developers to implement certain projects.
– Public-private partnerships.
– Investigate other out-of-the box solutions.
Department of Transportation
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16. County of Fairfax, Virginia
Monitoring and Reporting
 Establish a baseline for monitoring
and reporting on the improved
efficiency of project delivery.
Actions Identified:
• Develop measures to assess
efficiency of project delivery, e.g.,
percent on-time, within budget, etc.
• Provide periodic progress updates
to the Board Transportation
Committee.
Department of Transportation
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