NCHRP Guidelines Detail Innovative Contracting Methods

Highway construction and repair projects don’t always run smoothly. Researchers at the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) and the University of Wisconsin – Madison (UWM), however, have reevaluated one facet of highway construction – contracting methods – that may smooth the way for savings in time and money. State highway agencies (SHAs) have traditionally awarded highway projects to the lowest bidders. However, focusing on low bids sometimes leaves too little emphasis on product quality and time factors that affect long-term performance. In light of this problem, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) commissioned TTI and UWM to explore innovative alternatives to traditional contracting methods and to produce comprehensive implementation guidelines for their use.