Cost Estimating Tool for Early Estimates for Rural and Small Urban Transit Facilities

Construction cost overruns in many small projects can lead to program overruns and hence be just as problematic as a large overrun on a single project. Since there is a lack of compiled cost information or databases to support estimation of rural and small urban transit facilities, this paper focuses on cost estimation and risk assessment for design and construction of rural and small urban transit facilities. The goal of this paper is to define the characteristics of rural and small urban transit facilities, identify and assess their typical risk factors, and develop a database and tool to support conceptual estimating process for these facilities. Initially, this work reviewed the existing literature and described the characteristics of rural and small urban transit facilities. Next, telephone interviews of Department of Transportation (DOT) staff, consultants, and transit managers were conducted and analyzed. Later, based on the literature review and telephone interviews, survey questions were developed and distributed to collect specific historical design and construction costs data. Regression models were generated to predict project design and construction costs based on the size of these types of facilities. The typical risk factors associated with these projects were identified and their frequency levels determined. The final product of the work was development of a cost estimating tool for rural and small urban transit facilities.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AP055 Standing Committee on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Kermanshachi, Sharareh
  • Zheng, Yue
  • Anderson, Stuart D
  • Schexnayder, Cliff
  • Molenaar, Keith R
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2016-1-10 to 2016-1-14
• Date: 2016

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 17p
• Monograph Title: TRB 95th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction projects; Cost estimating; Cost overruns; Regression analysis; Risk assessment; Rural transit; Transportation, hydraulic and utility facilities; Urban transit
• Subject Areas: Construction; Finance; Public Transportation; I10: Economics and Administration; I50: Construction and Supervision of Construction;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01590673
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 16-1657
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 19 2016 5:09PM