Works coordination review

We lack time and process within the planning, design & coordination phases of projects to allow for the communication, collaboration and innovation required to generate better outcomes on our networks.

Problem definition

There is currently insufficient time within the planning, design and coordination phases of projects to enable “joined up thinking” when it comes to balancing the work that needs to be done within NZ’s road corridors and mitigating the impacts of that work.

This lack of sufficient time is a cultural/systemic issue which in part may have arisen from timeframes outlined within the Utilities Act.

Historically there has been insufficient process and resource applied to promoting the collaboration needed for to generate better outcomes.

In order to allow for better joined up thinking we need to “buy” all stakeholders more time to communicate, collaborate and innovate.

Stakeholders in this instance:

• Utility Companies

• Asset Maintenance
  

Allow both the RCA and Applicant time for disruption assessment and works coordination by Implementing a “pre-approval” process where a large scale piece of work can be entered to MWS 3-6 months prior to work start.

This would provide a much lengthier time for the RCA to work with the applicant to manage particularly complex or disruptive pieces of work.

Benefits to the end user may be that the individual WAPs are “pre-approved” if they score the same or less than the overall projects complexity score, thus reducing their workload and creating better efficiencies for the RCA.

In order for this to succeed (without costing more) we need to be mindful that we don’t just add more work to the role of a Corridor Manager. Rather we need to move an aspect of their work from being “just in time” to “well in advance”. By doing an aspect of the Corridor Manager role earlier we should reduce their later workload while also buying time for various stakeholders to collaborate, identify risks and optimise delivery solutions.

Pre-approval process

A new process within AT to review and collaborate with contractors on worksites which are likely to have a high impact on the network.

• Problems to overcome: High impact work and traffic management is unable to be effectively coordinated and managed from planning through to delivery. Key challenges faced:

• Limited time for stakeholders to collaborate on how to best mitigate the impact of works

• Important details and context is getting lost over time ‘off system’ communication is reducing the visibility of collaboration and decision-making

• Unable to identify potentially high impact work

• Underused roadspace and inefficient access management

Benefits & outcomes sought: This initiative aims to transform current process through proactive collaboration and system alignment, focusing on:

• Better visibility of priority work, sooner

• Improved coordination between different teams

• Agreeing early on access rules and making sure they’re followed

• Encouraging early involvement from all parties through incentives

• Promoting higher-quality traffic management with risk-based designs

• Better tracking of impacts and potential conflicts throughout