US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

Expediting Project Delivery


Please respond to the following statements based on your current situation. The assessment takes only a few minutes, and you can skip any section. Once finished, click View Result tab to see the summary report with your results and all strategies are available there.

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Assessment Questions

    

  • Avoiding Policy Decisions Through Continual Analysis

    Continual requests for further analysis from team members or stakeholders

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Project decisions are delayed or protracted due to unexpected requests for additional analysis or for more information. X

  • Conflicting Resource Values

    Differing opinions and understandings about the value, extent, and/or location of natural and cultural resources

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Conflicts between resource values and/or between the advocates for those resources delay project decision-making. X

  • Difficulty Agreeing on Impacts/Mitigation

    Debates or disagreement over impacts/mitigation decisions

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Stakeholders are critical of the project's adverse effects. X
    There is considerable concern or controversy regarding the project's adverse effects (real or perceived). X
    The following questions will become active is it's applicable to you
    What stakeholder group(s) were integral to the controversy, concern or delay (select all that apply)? Non-Federal Agencies Local Jurisdiction Environmental Stakeholders Community Organization Other
             

  • Inability to Maintain Agreement

    Decision is revisited repeatedly, changed, ignored, or contested after agreement has been reached

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    After the range of alternatives has been deliberately narrowed through analysis and decision-making, more alternatives are added to the process, causing delay. X
    Decisions that have been previously made are re-opened, causing project delays. X
    The following questions will become active is it's applicable to you
    What stakeholder group(s) were integral to the controversy, concern or delay (select all that apply)? Non-Federal Agencies Local Jurisdiction Environmental Stakeholders Community Organization Other
             

  • Ineffective Internal Communication

    Misunderstandings about priorities, new decisions, directions or data

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Project staff doesn't feel adequately involved or informed about project direction. X
    Even when design work or analysis has been completed, it needs to be re-done because out-of-date information or assumptions were used. X
    Communicating with other project team members is difficult or cumbersome. X
    Communicating with other project team members does not happen in a timely manner. X

  • Inefficient Section 106 Consultation with SHPO

    Submitting most or all projects and activities to the SHPO individually for review and comment

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Section 106 compliance is on the project critical path. X
    Section 106 compliance is taking longer than scheduled. X

  • Inordinate Focus on Single Issue

    Level of concern for a single resource above all other project issues

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Stakeholder coordination is dominated by a single issue, while other important issues receive considerably less attention. X
    A single issue dominates project decision-making, while other important issues receive much less consideration by decision-makers. X
    The following questions will become active is it's applicable to you
    What stakeholder groups were integral to the delay or concern (select all that apply)? Non-Federal Agencies Local Jurisdiction Environmental Stakeholders Community Organization Other
             

  • Inefficient Public Engagement or Support

    Disinterest, socioeconomic barriers, lack of transportation, perceived disempowerment or other situations make public engagement difficult

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    The project is having difficulty getting the public and/or other stakeholders interested and engaged in the project. X
    There is little expressed public or stakeholder support for the project. X

  • Issues Arising Late Cause Project Change

    Identification of new issues or new options late in the development process

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    New stakeholders get involved late in the process, and they bring new issues or information that compels the project to reconsider issues or past decisions. X
    Previously unknown information or studies emerge and compel the project to reconsider issues or past decisions. X

  • Lack of Dedicated Staff

    Insufficient staffing in transportation or resource agencies to maintain progress

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    The number of projects, the complexity of projects, and/or responsibilities are increasing for the agency and staff resources are limited. X

  • Lengthy Review/Revision Cycles

    Preparation and publication of documentation is delayed by reviews and/or revisions

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Reviews of draft reports or other products take too long, are repetitive or have no clear way to resolution. X
    The following questions will become active is it's applicable to you
    What kind of reviews were integral to the delay (select all that apply)? Non-Federal Agencies Local Jurisdiction Environmental Stakeholders Community Organization Other
             

  • Negative or Critical Coverage from the Media

    Media coverage highlights or stokes controversy and opposition

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Media coverage misinterprets issues or is oppositional towards the project. It is difficult to get the right message out. X

  • Relocation Process Delays Construction

    Property acquisition and the relocation of residents or businesses impedes construction

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Property acquisition and relocation of residences and business are delaying the project. X

  • Slow Decision Making

    Decisions take longer than expected or anticipated

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Decisions are taking longer than expected and causing project delay. X
    The path to arriving at a decision is unclear, with no clearly identified person or body having clear authority. X
    The following questions will become active is it's applicable to you
    What kind of decisions are taking longer than expected (select all that apply)? Non-Federal Agencies Local Jurisdiction Environmental Stakeholders Community Organization Other
             

  • Stakeholder Controversy and Opposition

    Stakeholders oppose particular elements or alternatives for a project or reject the validity or merit of the entire endeavor

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    Stakeholder opposition is creating delay or threatening project cancellation. X

  • Unusually Large Scale and Complex Project or Program

    Projects have many separate components of a major improvement or are being addressed programmatically making it difficult to follow the usual approach

    Questions Disagree Mildly Agree Moderately Agree Strongly Agree N/A
    The size or complexity of the project is creating uncertainty or concern about successful implementation or construction. X
    

Assessment Results

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