Alternative Project Delivery Methods in California Transportation Agencies: The Path Forward

Alternative Project Delivery Methods (PDMs) establish how owners, designers, and contractors are contractually organized and how design and construction phases are sequenced. Multiple research has been conducted on the selection, use, and effectiveness of PDM in the US and worldwide. However, there is limited research that focuses just on California’s use of alternative PDMs in transportation projects, its associated pros and cons, legislations/authorizations, and project performance.

Thus, the goal of this project is twofold. First, to benchmark the existing use of PDMs in local transportation agencies of different types and sizes in California,  considering the characteristics of each alternative PDM and the authorizations enabling its implementation. Second, to provide recommendations to policy and decision-makers for key factors to consider in alternative PDM selection and implementation by California’s local transportation agencies. 

To this end, the research team will conduct a literature review of existing literature and enabling legislation & authorizations, content analysis of the previous information, a survey of transportation agencies in California, and case studies.

The project findings will support the California State Transportation Committee (CSTC), and the State Legislature's decisions by providing a state-of-the-art of the alternative PDMs used in California coupled with the pros and cons of each method, agencies that are utilizing them, and projects' performance.