Dimensions of Innovation in Project Delivery Method Selection for Highway Projects

Innovation is an important driver for project delivery method (PDM) selection on infrastructure projects. However, the literature review indicated a gap in explicitly defining the term in the context of PDM selection for transportation projects. This study employed data from 20 interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs) and found that innovation can be defined through two major dimensions: project characteristics and innovation opportunities. Project characteristics include the inherent project elements that increase complexity and can be categorized into traffic challenges, design elements, and project constraints. Innovation opportunities relate to exogenous elements where constructors can apply innovative solutions; they include traffic handling, developers' resource and schedule optimization, and design and construction methods. An expert panel from the Texas Department of Transportation validated the defined innovation dimensions and their use in the PDM selection process. The experts qualitatively evaluated the innovation and complexity levels of 32 projects and found that traffic challenges most often contribute to increased project complexity.