Infrastructure projects are the backbone of modern society, shaping our cities, transportation systems, and overall quality of life. However, the successful completion of these projects is often marred by the daunting challenges of delays and cost overruns. In this blog post, we will delve into the risks and far-reaching impacts associated with project delays and cost overruns in infrastructure development.
If your project is in the news, it’s probably not a good thing
Infrastructure projects encompass a wide range of initiatives, including roads, bridges, airports, railways, power plants, and water treatment facilities. Such projects are complex, involving numerous stakeholders, intricate planning, execution, and significant investments of time and money. Unfortunately, despite meticulous planning (well, ideally), unforeseen circumstances and various factors can contribute to project delays and cost overruns. Some projects have even become infamous for their lackluster execution like the Panama Canal Expansion, Boston’s Big Dig bridge, or even Montreal’s Mirabel Airport. Ask any project manager- there’s no shortage of crazy stories. Cost overruns aren’t exclusive to megaprojects either though. We consistently hear of projects, whether in the tens of thousands or hundreds of millions of dollars, that exceed budgets by significant margins. When you multiply these overruns across several projects within a municipality, the impact on the community as a whole starts to become tangible.
Impacts of cost overruns and delays
Obviously cost overruns and delays can cause financial strain and impact capital budgets. Even with project contingencies built in, excessive change orders can quickly add up- a dilemma no public servant ever wants to have to communicate to stakeholders. One study found that the frequency of change orders for Highway Construction Projects (based on a 5-year dataset of projects in Indiana) averaged between 4.7 and 5.4 per project, depending on the type of construction but went as high as 42 . That’s A LOT of scope changes. However, cost overruns aren’t just a financial dilemma- they often lead to other consequences that directly affect the community’s service delivery.
For one, there’s always the risk of scope reductions to compensate for cost overruns. This compromises the project’s intended objectives, resulting in subpar infrastructure that may fail to meet the needs of the end-users or address long-term demands. It’s like building a three-bedroom house but having to remove a room from the plan right after the foundation has been laid. Sure, you still have a house, and the kids can bunk together… but it’s not what you set out to do. For community members, the cut corners can mean having infrastructure that isn’t equitably delivering the services it was intended to yet cost the same (or more).
From an engagement lens, this is essentially a false promise. This leads to diminished public trust which unfortunately can hinder the municipality’s ability to garner support for future projects. This dilemma is extrapolated by the fact that the construction industry struggles to be transparent due to the nature of contract agreements and complexity.
All this to say, deficient project execution is a major barrier to the community’s answering the call to be dubbed a “smart city” (stay tuned as we’ll touch on what this means in a later post). With global urbanization rates projected to skyrocket to 70% by 2050, increasing climate risks, and aging infrastructure, cities need to start rejecting the status quo and proactively seek practices and solutions that enable efficient project delivery.
Smart cities need to better manage their infrastructure project delivery.
This means delivering on budget and on time- building momentum for future projects. So how can this be done? Well, there’s no replacement for experience but implementing certain proactive measures and strategies can help.
- Comprehensive Planning: Conduct thorough feasibility studies, accurate cost estimation, and risk assessments during the planning phase to minimize uncertainties and anticipate potential challenges.
- Robust Project Management: Implement strong project management practices, including effective communication, diligent monitoring of progress, and proactive issue resolution. This helps identify potential delays and cost overruns at an early stage, enabling timely corrective actions.
- Collaborative Stakeholder Engagement: Foster open and transparent communication among all stakeholders, promoting a shared understanding of project objectives, risks, and responsibilities. Encouraging collaboration and cooperation among project teams can help overcome obstacles and achieve successful project outcomes.
- Contingency Planning: Incorporate contingency plans into project schedules and budgets to account for unexpected events and minimize the impact of delays and cost overruns. Adequate risk management practices can help address unforeseen challenges without derailing the entire project.
For information on how our risk management platform can help with the above, send us a message!