Delivering results faster

How SHA is advancing alternative delivery to meet Maryland’s transportation needs

By William Pines, P.E. and Jeff Folden, P.E., DBIA | Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration

At the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA), our mission is straightforward but far-reaching: connect people to life’s opportunities. Every day, our transportation system enables Marylanders to access jobs, education, health care and economic opportunity. That responsibility shapes how we approach infrastructure delivery — and increasingly, how we use alternative delivery methods to meet growing demands with limited resources.

Infrastructure needs continue to expand while expectations for faster project delivery continue to rise. In this environment, alternative delivery has become an important tool that allows SHA to deliver meaningful results more efficiently while strengthening the resilience and performance of our transportation system.

Over the past two decades, SHA has steadily expanded its alternative delivery capabilities, evolving from individual design-build projects into a more deliberate, programmatic approach. Through this progression, several lessons have emerged that continue to guide how SHA evaluates opportunities, strengthens organizational capabilities and delivers infrastructure improvements for communities across the state.

Identifying projects best suited for alternative delivery

A critical first step in advancing alternative delivery is recognizing which projects will benefit most from this approach. Not every project requires an alternative delivery model, but certain characteristics can make it particularly effective.

At SHA, alternative delivery is especially valuable for projects with accelerated schedules and high complexity. In these situations, early contractor involvement and a collaborative project structure help reduce risk, streamline decision-making, promote innovation and maintain project momentum.

Alternative delivery also has proven valuable for programmatic initiatives and emerging infrastructure needs that fall outside traditional delivery models. In these cases, engaging industry partners earlier in the process allows SHA to access specialized capabilities, develop more efficient solutions and deliver results more quickly.

By evaluating projects through this lens, SHA can apply alternative delivery where it provides the greatest value while continuing to leverage traditional delivery methods where they remain most effective.

Making delivery decisions earlier in the project lifecycle

Early evaluation of delivery options is essential to identifying strong candidates for alternative delivery and realizing the full benefits of the delivery method. Historically, delivery decisions were often made after significant design work had already been completed, limiting flexibility and reducing potential schedule advantages.

Today, SHA emphasizes evaluating delivery methods much earlier — often during project planning and initial development. This early assessment allows the agency to align delivery strategy with project goals, maximize schedule efficiencies and fully deploy industry expertise in shaping solutions.

Early evaluation also improves project readiness. Risks associated with right-of-way acquisition, utility coordination, environmental considerations and site conditions all influence delivery strategy. While the emphasis of alternative delivery is on speed, SHA believes that advanced due diligence to address substantial risks is necessary to position projects for success, regardless of delivery model.

Equally important, early delivery method selection allows SHA to align projects with available funding. Because alternative delivery accelerates project timelines, funding demands are also compressed. Evaluating delivery options early helps ensure that projects are positioned to advance smoothly and efficiently once funding becomes available.

Strengthening organizational capabilities to support alternative delivery

Successful implementation of alternative delivery depends on building organizational capabilities that support collaboration, flexibility and program management. To support this effort, SHA established a dedicated office focused on alternative delivery, providing leadership, technical expertise and program oversight across the agency. This centralized capability ensures consistent evaluation and application of delivery methods while enabling alternative delivery to be utilized across a broader range of projects and programs.

Developing internal expertise has also been essential. Alternative delivery requires a different approach than traditional delivery, emphasizing performance outcomes, collaboration and program oversight. Developing and involving the internal team in supporting alternative delivery is critical to address cultural barriers to change, such as overcoming internal sentiments that the best in-house design opportunities are being outsourced.

Partnership with industry is another key component. By working closely with contractors, designers and technical specialists, SHA can incorporate construction expertise earlier, improve constructability and develop more timely, cost-effective solutions. These partnerships enhance the agency’s ability to deliver complex projects while maintaining strong stewardship of public resources.

Translating strategy into results

SHA’s experience demonstrates how alternative delivery can support both individual projects and broader infrastructure initiatives.

• Accelerating critical safety improvements along MD 404. In the MD 404 corridor, efforts to improve safety reinforced the need to accelerate planned improvements. Using design build delivery, SHA was able to move from project initiation into construction far more quickly than would have been possible under a traditional model. This approach allowed engineering and construction activities to progress in parallel, significantly compressing the delivery timeline and advancing safety improvements for the traveling public. The experience reinforced the value of evaluating delivery methods early and positioning projects to advance quickly when conditions warranted.
• Leveraging private sector expertise to deploy electric vehicle infrastructure. Through Maryland’s implementation of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, SHA is using design build contracts to deploy EV charging stations across the state. This approach allows SHA to draw on specialized expertise in designing, installing and operating charging infrastructure, ensuring the program can be delivered efficiently while meeting federal requirements. By structuring the program to leverage industry capabilities, SHA is able to accelerate deployment, expand infrastructure availability and support Maryland’s broader transportation and sustainability goals.

Delivering value through flexibility and partnership

Alternative delivery is not a replacement for traditional delivery but an important complement that expands SHA’s ability to deliver infrastructure effectively.

By identifying the right projects, evaluating delivery options early and strengthening internal capabilities, SHA has integrated alternative delivery into its broader infrastructure strategy. This approach enables the agency to deliver projects more efficiently, respond to evolving priorities and maximize the impact of available funding.

Most importantly, alternative delivery supports SHA’s core mission: delivering safe, reliable transportation options that connect Marylanders to opportunity and support the state’s long-term economic vitality.