Value Engineering
Route 123
Route 895 - Pocahontas Parkway
Town of Grundy
Studies
Route 123: The project widened the corridor from two lanes to a four-lane divided highway. Recommendations reduced excavation and modified the bridge reconstruction resulting in a $1.7 million cost savings.
Route 460, Buchanan County: A joint project between the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a design firm and the town of Grundy to control flooding and improve accessibility. Recommendations reduced excavation and modified the construction sequence for flexibility in maintenance of traffic, resulting in $11.5 million in savings.
Special Studies
Blackstone Project Scoping:
Goal: Establish design alignment and typical section
Findings: Recommendations provided immediate safety and capacity improvements, as well as long range pavement enhancements. It reduced the likelihood of project scope creep.
Snow Removal Equipment:
Goal: Optimize snow removal operations and consider all aspects of snow removal from spreaders to salt storage
Findings: Recommendations reduced maintenance cost by eliminating engine-driven spreaders, required contractor trucks use VDOT hydraulic spreaders, optimized salt dome storage by installing salt conveyor systems and purchased four wheel drive pickups for subdivision snow removal.
Courthouse Road "Retro":
Goal: Identify sources of cost overruns and delays.
Findings: Recommendations proposed prevention measures for future projects, including:
- Increased use of fixed date contracts
- Improved supervision of utility relocation
- Retention of design consultants through construction phase of projects
- Conducting construction feasibility reviews on projects prior to advertisement
Utility Relocation Process:
Goal: Improve utility relocation process, from design to construction. The Value Engineering (VE) team included representatives from VDOT, Dominion Virginia Power, Verizon and construction contractors.
Findings: Recommendations included:
- Increased training for inspectors, designers and utility employees
- Increased utility engineer involvement in design and construction
- Establishment of dedicated utility relocation inspectors at each VDOT district
Building Permit Process:
Goal: Improve building permit process.
Findings: Accelerate construction through a simplified annual permit process and streamline process by delegating permitting authority to VDOT districts.
Work Zone Safety:
Goal: Implement suggestions of a national conference.
Findings: Improve work zone traffic control training for state police and VDOT by implementing contracting techniques that reduce congestion and expedite construction and revising the contractor evaluation process to include work zone safety.
Constructability Reviews:
Goal: Use the VE Job Plan as a format for project constructability reviews prior to advertisement.
Findings:These reviews have identified constructability issues that are forwarded to the appropriate design disciplines for resolution prior to advertisement date. It has resulted in fewer work orders after contract award.
Condensed Value Engineering Study:
Goal: On small projects, conduct condensed VE studies using the VE Job Plan to identify areas where improved value.
Findings: This process utilizes all steps of the VE Job Plan in a condensed format and has resulted in cost savings and quality improvements while reducing man hours required.