2.5 Ensuring Project Solutions That Work

Traditional methods of measuring the success of transportation projects have focused on cost, schedule, capacity, mobility and safety. However, these measures do not provide transportation agencies and transportation project managers with the information they need to assess the success of projects completed within the contemporary context-sensitive environment. Consequently, there are no definitive objective measures to support the institutionalization of context identification and definition as part of the transportation project planning, design and implementation process.

 

The national “Thinking Beyond the Pavement” workshop held in 1998 developed the following principles for CSS practice that GDOT project managers can use as a basis for measuring the success of your CSS project:

 

• The project satisfies the purpose and needs as agreed to by a full range of stakeholders. This agreement is forged in the earliest phase of the project and amended as warranted as the project develops.
• The project is a safe facility for both the user and the community.
• The project is in harmony with the community, and it preserves environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic, and natural resource values of the area, i.e., exhibits context-sensitive design.
• The project exceeds the expectations of both designers and stakeholders and achieves a level of excellence in people's minds.
• The project involves efficient and effective use of the resources (time, budget, community) of all involved parties.
• The project is designed and built with minimal disruption to the community.
• The project is seen as having added lasting value to the community.