Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Constructability function focuses on major issues that could stop a project or cause significant project delays, cost overruns, and construction claims. Constructability minor flaws are those which do not affect the constructability of the project, such as spelling mistakes, inlet grate elevation errors, quantity errors.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittee on Construction has defined Constructability as "a process that utilizes construction personnel with extensive construction knowledge early in the design stages of projects to ensure that the projects are buildable, while also being cost-effective, biddable, and maintainable."

Constructability is the extent that a project’s design provides for ease of construction yet meets the overall requirements of that project. To achieve the overall project objectives, constructability evaluators use their construction knowledge and experience in planning, design, procurement, and field operations.

Experienced construction personnel who get involved with all Capital Projects from the earliest stage will:

• Include representatives from different geographic regions of the State who offer expertise and understanding of how a project is planned and built , and
  
• Perform the constructability function immediately following the Project Charter, which outlines the purpose of the project.

Process Goal

The Constructability team will:

• Provide constructability input and evaluation during Concept Development, Preliminary Engineering and Final Design, thereby improving the Designer's end product;
  
• Capitalize on NJDOT construction expertise and construction experience combined with regional knowledge of the geography and local community;
  
• Help achieve the overall project objective of developing the best solutions at the most reasonable cost. The Constructability function personnel are active during project planning, design, procurement, and with field operations; and
  
• Provide the means for the Department to design and construct the most efficient solution to a defined transportation need.
  

Process Objectives

The objectives of Constructability include:

• Provide guidance from a Constructability point of view to ensure the proposed solution is the most viable and can be built as planned within the proposed timeframe.
  
• Include NJDOT in the overall constructability function. Those performing the Constructability function will provide constructability guidance early in the process. They will be involved during Concept Development to help select the best alternative. The Scoping Team and Designers will participate in the Scoping process, as requested.
• Provide for increased productivity, improve the sequence of construction, enhance project quality, decrease maintenance and provide for a safer project during and post construction.
  
• Establish open communication between the Designer, Field Crew, and Constructability.
  
• Develop Constructability guidelines that address items from a constructability perspective.
  
• Reduce the number of Scope Changes.
  
• Reduce the number of claims, conflicts, and disputes.
  

Early involvement ensures constructability will influence the project’s owners, planners, and designers, as well as material suppliers.

Constructability is used as a design consideration from the beginning of the project, which includes a review of the Charter. The problem statement, based on the type of project, begins to consider issues, such as geometry, safety, drainage, traffic, structure, staging, congestion and signal.

The constructability point of view examines if the project is buildable and biddable, and whether it can be built within the proposed scheduled timeframe.

NJDOT Management uses constructability as a tool in meeting project objectives concerning quality, cost, and schedules.

The Constructability Team:

• Gets involved early, before significant design costs have been incurred. Obtaining input from Constructability as alternative solutions are being developed is preferred over waiting until the alternatives are developed or until a Preliminary Preferred Alternative (PPA) is selected.
• Reviews the problem statement, gather some initial data, and schedule a site visit to get a hands-on look at the study location.
• Documents their initial observations and findings and make them available to the designer, who solicits feedback from Constructability throughout Concept Development, Preliminary Engineering and Final Design. Constructability and ongoing Designer interaction.
• Works with the Designer and offers input and feedback.
• Meets with the Designer throughout. The Designer is responsible for initiating communications with Constructability Team. Communications include meetings, phone calls, correspondence, emails, faxes, and other formal and informal methods. Additionally, the Designer is responsible for maintaining records of all communications with the Constructability Team and providing copies of those records to them.
• Exercises the option to initiate communications with the Designer.
• Conducts a formal Final Design Submission review only if requested to do so by the Project Manager and Executive Regional Manager with approval of the Director, Division of Project Management. They will, however, work with the Designer throughout the project development process and provide feedback and input.
• Informs the Project Manager about any issues and concerns related to constructability. The Project Manager is responsible for reviewing Constructability information and resolving items and issues with the Designer.

Some of the files listed below are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and will require Adobe Acrobat Reader (available at the Adobe Access Page) for viewing.

Procedures

• How to Use the Constructability Guidelines (pdf 38k)
  
  
• Constructability Guidelines (pdf 176k)
  
  
• Feedback from the Regional Office and Regional Contact (pdf 27k)
  
  
• Ongoing Dialog and Working Sessions with Designer (pdf 39k)
  
  
• Prepare for and Attend Core Group Meeting (pdf 28k)
  
  
• Prepare for and Conduct Site Visits (pdf 101k)
  
  
• Review of Plans and Specs from a Constructability Perspective (pdf 158k)
  
  
• Construction Scheduling Guidelines (pdf 28k)
  
  
• Review Construction Schedules (pdf 44k)
  

 

Construction scheduling is performed by Construction Management employees who are familiar with developing project schedules. They are involved with all capital projects early in the Design phase and work with designers to provide advice for construction schedules.

The schedulers will:

• Review construction schedules at Final Design Submissions;
  
• Perform a final review and verification of the Substantial Completion and Completion dates at the Plans Specifications and Estimates submission; and
  
• Verify Resolutions to Final Design Submission comments Plans, Specification & Estimate (PS&E) Submission comments.
  

Process Goal

The schedulers’ goal is to ensure that projects can be constructed efficiently, economically and expeditiously without delays or major problems.

Process Objectives

Construction Management's objectives in regard to construction scheduling are to:

• Provide guidance throughout Design from a Constructability viewpoint to ensure the proposed solution is the most viable and can be built as planned within the proposed timeframe.
  
• Use NJDOT’s constructability knowledge and experience. The Construction schedulers will provide scheduling guidance throughout the Design Process and will take an active role working with the designers and participating in the schedule development process.
  
• Develop Construction Scheduling guidelines.
  

Designers solicit feedback from the schedulers throughout the Preliminary Design and Final Design phases.

The Designer is responsible for:

• Initiating communications with the Construction Management Team for guidance. Communications include meetings, phone calls, correspondence, e-mails, and other formal and informal methods;
  
• Maintaining records of all communications with the personnel performing the construction scheduling function and providing copies of those records to the Construction Scheduling function personnel.
  

The construction schedule reviewers Team will:

• Conduct Final Design Submission reviews.
  
• Document their observations and findings and make them available to the Project Manager and Designer.
  
• Inform the Project Manager about any issues and concerns related to the Construction schedule.
  

The Project Manager is responsible for reviewing the Construction Scheduling comments and resolving them with the Designer.

Some of the files listed below are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and will require Adobe Acrobat Reader (available at the Adobe Access Page) for viewing.

Process Swim Lane Flow Charts

Procedures

• Construction Scheduling Guidelines (pdf 28k)
  
  
• Review Construction Schedules (pdf 44k)