The end of the design phase is considered to be the end of the project for many design engineers; however, for an Intelligent Transportations System (ITS) project to be successful the end of the design phase should almost be considered the beginning. The advanced technical components of an ITS project require that the design engineer be heavily involved throughout the entire construction and integration process. A wide range of construction management tasks are necessary to ensure the project's schedule, budget and quality. Due to the technical nature of this highly specialized type of work, the construction process requires much more technical input from the design engineer than a typical roadway construction project. The technology changes rapidly and performance specifications often require detailed evaluations of the proposed equipment to ensure that all the pieces work together. In addition, many contractors are new to ITS work and will require significant interaction with the engineer. For this reason, the ITS design engineer should be heavily involved in the followings elements of the construction process: Prequalification of Contractors (if appropriate) Pre-Bid Meeting Pre-Construction Meeting Equipment Submittal Reviews Requests for Information (RFIs) Weekly/Monthly Progress Meetings Periodic Inspections Review of Change Order Requests Testing (Factory & bench testing, testing after installation, and final testing) This paper focuses on why it is critical for an ITS design engineer to be closely involved with each of the components listed above. The required processes for each task will be discussed including recommended approaches and lessons learned from previous ITS projects. This paper is aimed at consulting engineers, municipal officials, and State DOT officials who are responsible for the design and construction of ITS projects. Emphasis is placed on the necessary tasks that are directly related to ensuring the schedule, budget and quality of a successful ITS project.
Samenvatting