Case Study: Delayed Owner Decision on Bridge Design Change Causes Idle Time in Kentucky (2020)

Project Overview
• Name: I-64 Ohio River Bridge Connector
• Location: Louisville, Kentucky
• Year: 2020
• Project Size: $390 million
• Scope: New river-crossing bridge and approach roads, including complex structural tie-ins
• Lead Agencies/Contractors: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) /

Category of the Issue, Problem, or Challenge
• Contract Owner
• Design Change Approval

Summary of the Issue, Problem, or Challenge
Work on key bridge segments was halted for over six weeks after the owner delayed approval on a proposed design change regarding bearing pads and expansion joints.

Root Cause Analysis

• Owner failed to respond to RFC (Request for Change) submittals within contractual timeframes.
• Internal coordination between KYTC structural and environmental divisions caused bottlenecks.
• No escalation protocol in place for delayed decisions affecting the critical path.

Impacts Due to the Issue, Problem, or Challenge

• Contractors incurred standby costs and missed seasonal work windows.
• Delay claims totaling $4.3 million were filed.
• Tension increased between owner and design-build partners.

Corrective Actions Taken

1. KYTC introduced mandatory review deadlines with auto-escalation triggers.
2. Internal decision-making roles clarified across structural and environmental teams.
3. Real-time RFC tracking system deployed for future megaprojects.

Lessons Learned

• Owner responsiveness is critical to keeping design-build projects on schedule.
• Unclear approval authority causes costly ripple effects.
• Escalation pathways should be built into large-scale contract governance.

Audit & Prevention: Project Control Questions to Ask on Future Projects to Help Control the Situation

• Are there contractually defined timeframes for owner submittal responses?
• Is there a process to escalate unresolved technical approvals?
• Do owner teams have clearly assigned roles for multi-discipline reviews?