The Let’s Get Windsor-Essex Moving strategy is a commitment by the federal and provincial governments to jointly invest $300 million for the implementation of short- and medium-term projects to improve traffic flows to existing crossings and address congestion and security issues in the Windsor Gateway. The strategy includes grade separation of the cross-border Canadian Pacific Railway line at Howard Avenue and Walker Road. The projects are being delivered by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation in cooperation with the City of Windsor and Transport Canada.
Howard Avenue is a major north-south arterial road in Windsor. Significant traffic delays are experienced from the 26 trains that cross Howard Avenue at the CPR tracks each day and these delays have become longer following the installation of the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS), which is required by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency for US-bound trains.
The project to construct a grade separation at Howard Avenue received environmental assessment approval in Spring 2007 and is currently in design with an anticipated construction start in 2009.
A value engineering study was held early in the design phase of the project to identify opportunities to increase the value of the project based on an analysis of the EA recommendations and early pre-design work. The VE brought together all the key stakeholders in the project including representatives from Canadian Pacific Railway, Hydro One Networks, City of Windsor and Transport Canada. Key members of the newly acquired design consultant also participated to maximize the flow of ideas from the workshop to the design team.
The VE study resulted in significant improvements to the design including new bridge types for the two structures and alignment revisions. Value is being realized by the implementation of recommendations that improve the design and reduce property impacts.
AECOM and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducted a Value Engineering (VE) Study for the I-25/U.S. 34 Interchange in Larimer County. The study looked at capital cost improvements, improved
The Ministry of Transportation, Ontario (MTO) undertook a Value Analysis study for the proposed twining of the Trans-Canada Highway 11/17 east of Thunder Bay. The base case involved major electrical transmission line conflicts and challenging foundation conditions. The Value Analysis study identified risks and mitigation measures along with providing costs for various alignment alternatives. By involving the electrical utility as active participants during the workshop, both MTO and the utility were able to share their concerns and objectives, while working toward a solution that offered benefits to both parties.
Le modèle d’approvisionnement Partenariat Public-Privé (PPP) est utilisé à travers l’Amérique du Nord. Jeff Plant, précédemment VP à Infrastructures Ontario et maintenant directeur technique du projet du pont Champlain (4 milliards $) présente le modèle PPP, pourquoi ce modèle est efficace dans les projets majeurs d’infrastructures publiques.
An independent VE Team evaluated the preliminary construction plans of an outdated traffic interchange. The VE Team found that the design was not an optimal solution to satisfy budget constraints. Using performance over cost the VE team was able to demonstrate an alternative but more expensive solution was better value.
This paper supports the ability to enhance decision-making capability available in VE programs by explaining how risk-based road safety analysis can enhance value engineering studies. The focus of the presentation is the description of risk management techniques as they relate to road safety analysis, which can be incorporated into VE studies. Where applicable the presentation will also integrate the application of project performance measurement / analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and discuss how this tool can also be enhanced with risk management and integrated with risk-based road safety analysis.
The presentation has as its objective not just to explain the marriage of the VE, risk and road safety analysis but more importantly to encourage value engineering users to pursue tools that can enhance the traditional techniques and system known in the VE job plan. The presentation should appeal to wide audience, ranging from a novice to expert and to both VE facilitators and VE program managers.
The paper will be seeded with real study results.
Selecting the most appropriate alternative to improve operation at an intersection is a complex issue. For a number of years, the decision was solely based on satisfying a set of criteria to determine if signals are warranted.
Selecting the best value solution on the basis of a life cost analysis often leads to misleading results. Therefore, a value Engineering Study, VE, at early stages of the design, preferably at the preliminary design stage, provides the opportunity to compare viable alternatives based on a number of factors such as constructability, environmental, safety, traffic Operations as well as cost. To arrive at the right solution in a VE study, a group of professionals and safety experts examine the intersection in greater details, evaluate various alternatives and score each alternative based on the assigned weighting for each factor. The VE also provides the owner with the opportunity to make an informed decision based on either cost or performance without compromising the function
This presentation features Road Safety Analysis tools, techniques and benefits that can be applied and integrated into VE studies based on a pilot study at Caltrans and on the Ontario Ministry of Transportation Value Engineering Program’s experience including:
Case study of an Ontario Ministry of Transporation VE study of a proposed interchange. Discusses use of VE as a tool in making a decision for a preferred alternative during environmental assessments. Shows how project performance measures were used to compare different scenarios.
Le ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) planifie présentement la réfection du pont-tunnel Louis-Hyppolite Lafontaine à Montréal. L’enjeu du projet est de rehausser le niveau de sécurité du tunnel en cas d’incendie, pour permettre l’évacuation des personnes par une sortie de secours conforme aux standards applicables aux tunnels routiers avec un niveau de risque acceptable pour des ouvrages de cette nature. Le Ministère veut établir quel est ce niveau de risque acceptable, selon une approche méthodologique rigoureuse.
Le projet est à l’étape de l’étude de faisabilité. Les membres de l’équipe de projet ont procédé à un exercice d’analyse de la valeur afin de s’assurer que ce projet répondra aux besoins exprimés au juste coût tout en améliorant ses fonctionnalités et en réduisant les risques d’incident et leurs conséquences.
L’originalité de l’approche proposée résulte d’un maillage de deux méthodologies éprouvées et reconnues internationalement : L’Analyse de la valeur et l’Analyse de risque (ou Étude spécifique des dangers).
L’analyse de risque fut inspirée du fascicule 4 de la méthode européenne développée dans le cadre d’un projet de recherche conjoint de l’ Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques (OCDE) et de l’Association internationale permanente des congrès de la route (AIPCR) avec une participation financière de l’Union Européenne. Celle-ci considère le tunnel comme un système global, constitué des usagers, de l’ouvrage lui -même avec ses équipements et son environnement, de l’exploitant ainsi que des services d’intervention et de secours. Un modèle fonctionnel (pierre d’assise de l’AV) fut développé par l’équipe. Une analyse simulant un cas catastrophe fut faite et la performance du tunnel fut évaluée pour chacune des fonctions. Le diagnostic a fait ressortir plusieurs dysfonctionnements et une session de créativité a permis de générer des solutions innovatrices pour améliorer la sécurité des usagers. Une analyse comparative des scénarios a permis de recommander le scénario optimal, soit celui qui satisfait le mieux aux besoins au juste coût.