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various phases of the Town ’ s Undergrounding Program . This is a method that is approved for use under the Town ’ s procurement code and the Town staff has a history of success delivering large , complicated infrastructure projects under this method . The following sections reinforce this opinion based on the three areas of risk ; schedule , level of service , and cost .
Schedule
The Town has placed a high priority on schedule . Because this is a phased program , a substantial delay in one phase can impact the ability to begin construction in a subsequent phase . These delays can create a domino effect that can impact the overall program schedule . This can lead to increased costs due to labor / material price increases over time . Additionally , there are technical reasons for performing certain construction tasks at certain times of the year . For example , highly disruptive roadway impacts are more desirable in the summer months because traffic volumes are at their lowest . Feeder transitions from the overhead to the underground system at the phase boundaries are much more desirable in the winter time when electrical demand is low . Performing these transitions during the hotter months can drive up costs because the process becomes more complicated to execute .
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CMAR has the ability to fast-track certain activities . Working with the design team , elements of the project design can be completed early so construction of those elements can commence in an expedited manner . This can be advantageous for infrastructure elements such as water and drainage improvements that may need to be constructed in advance of the undergrounding infrastructure due to sequencing requirements .
By obtaining constructability comments and perspectives from the CMAR during the design process , the Town can achieve schedule efficiencies that are not available under traditional DBB . Reducing the schedule duration will reduce the cost of the general conditions on the project .
Level of Service
A major criterion in choosing a project delivery method for this program is the delivery method ’ s ability to accommodate the needs of various stakeholders in a complex environment . The Town works very hard to protect the interests of the community . A high level of service and responsiveness to community needs , desires , and concerns is considered a very high priority . The undergrounding program is fundamentally different than most Town projects in that the work in this case is not confined to Town property or the public right of
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way . The Town ’ s contractor will be required to perform work on just about every private property in the entire Town . It is imperative that the Town ’ s contractor perform work on private property in a manner that minimizes the disturbance to that property in order to reduce the risk of property owner claims against the Town and project cost escalation .
The ability to deliver the level of service to the community that they expect best aligns with the CMAR method . Because the CMAR selection process has a qualifications component , their reputations are very important to them . They are highly motivated to do a good job for their client as they are typically desirous of winning the next project for the same client . Additionally , because the Town retains a great deal of control over the actions of the CMAR , when the need for
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Worth Avenue undergounding – delivered under the CMAR project delivery method |