Case Study: Central Texas Tollway Project – P3 Delivery and Schedule Integration Failures (2019)
Project Overview
• Name: Central Texas Tollway Project
• Location: Texas
• Year: 2019
• Project Size: $1.1 billion
• Scope: Construction of tollway segments under a Public-Private Partnership (P3) delivery
• Lead Agencies/Contractors: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Private Consortium
Category of the Issue, Problem, or Challenge
• Project Delivery Method
• Public-Private Partnership (P3)
Summary of the Issue, Problem, or Challenge
Schedule delays and cost increases during construction were linked to poor integration of design, construction, and financing schedules under the P3 delivery method. Lack of synchronized planning caused misaligned milestones and resource conflicts.
Root Cause Analysis
- Separate planning for design, construction, and finance phases with limited integration.
- Insufficient joint scheduling and risk management sessions.
- Overlooked critical path dependencies in multi-phase work.
- Lack of real-time schedule monitoring tools.
Impacts Due to the Issue, Problem, or Challenge
• Delays totaling 8 months.
• Cost overruns near $45 million.
• Strained relations between public agency and private partner.
Corrective Actions Taken
- Implemented integrated master scheduling across all phases.
- Conducted regular joint risk workshops involving all stakeholders.
- Adopted real-time scheduling software with shared access.
- Enhanced communication protocols for schedule alignment.
Lessons Learned
- Integrated scheduling across all project phases is essential in P3s.
- Regular multi-stakeholder risk sessions improve planning.
- Real-time monitoring tools support proactive issue resolution.
- Strong communication underpins schedule success.
Audit & Prevention: Project Control Questions to Ask on Future Projects to Help Control the Situation
- Is there a fully integrated master schedule?
- Are joint risk and scheduling workshops held regularly?
- Are real-time monitoring tools used?
- Are communication channels clear and frequent among all parties?