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
- KYTC introduced mandatory review deadlines with auto-escalation triggers.
- Internal decision-making roles clarified across structural and environmental teams.
- 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?