Keeping Utah Moving

UDOT leverages alternative delivery methods to minimize construction time, manage risk and promote collaboration

By Robert Stewart, Region 2 Director, Utah Department of Transportation

At the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), we are dedicated to keeping Utah moving. In Region 2 — which includes Salt Lake City and accounts for roughly 35% of the state’s traffic as well as a substantial share of Utah’s economic activity — that responsibility is significant as we deliver projects to support much of the state’s population and commerce.

Delivering improvements in this environment requires a project delivery approach that prioritizes mobility during construction as well as long-term system performance. Over time, UDOT has adopted a range of strategies to support that goal, including alternative delivery methods such as design-build, CM/GC and progressive design-build, along with other procurement approaches that emphasize schedule and efficiency.

These methods help us minimize construction durations, better manage project risks and create opportunities for stronger collaboration among designers, contractors and third party stakeholders. Together, they form the foundation of a delivery strategy designed to advance major infrastructure investments across the state.

Building a foundation for alternative delivery

UDOT’s experience with alternative delivery dates back more than two decades to the reconstruction of Interstate 15 through the Salt Lake Valley. The corridor was the region’s most heavily traveled route and required a major rebuild to address growing transportation demands.

The scale of the project, combined with the need to complete construction before the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, created an urgent timeline for delivery. We recognized that traditional delivery methods would not allow the project to be completed quickly enough to meet those expectations.

Design-build offered a different path forward. By allowing design and construction activities to progress concurrently, the model created an opportunity for us to accelerate delivery while maintaining mobility along a corridor that carried a significant share of the region’s traffic.

The success of that effort demonstrated the potential of alternative delivery and helped establish design-build as a viable tool for future projects in Utah. In the years since, UDOT has expanded its use of collaborative delivery approaches — including CM/GC and progressive design-build — as part of our broader strategy to deliver complex projects efficiently while maintaining mobility during construction.

Prioritizing schedule and mobility

Building on our long history with alternative delivery, UDOT continues to prioritize project delivery approaches that minimize the time projects spend under construction. Construction inevitably affects mobility, but reducing the duration of those impacts helps keep people and goods moving throughout the region. Alternative delivery models support this objective by encouraging teams to identify innovative ways to accelerate schedules and reduce construction durations.

UDOT reinforces this focus through procurement practices that incorporate time directly into the bidding process. On most projects, contractors bid both the cost of the work and the time required to complete it — a model often referred to as price plus time bidding. By placing value on both cost and schedule, this approach encourages contractors to develop strategies that shorten project timelines while maintaining safety and quality standards.

Over time, this practice has become embedded within Utah’s transportation industry. Designers and contractors understand that schedule is a critical component of project delivery. In some cases, projects even include multiple time components tied to specific construction activities or traffic impacts, further reinforcing the importance of minimizing disruption to the traveling public.

Aligning delivery with project risk

While schedule remains a critical priority, it is only one factor in determining how a project should be delivered. Equally important is understanding the risks associated with a project and identifying the delivery model best suited to manage them. At UDOT, each project is evaluated individually through a risk-based decision matrix that helps project teams assess key factors — from technical complexity to third-party constraints — and determine the most appropriate procurement approach.

Alternative delivery models often provide greater flexibility in managing these risks. When a project involves challenges such as complex construction sequencing or specialized means and methods, progressive design-build or CM/GC can allow contractors to contribute their expertise earlier in the process. These collaborative models allow UDOT, designers and contractors to work together during design to evaluate uncertainties, refine project scope and address potential issues before construction begins.

This risk-informed approach allows us to match delivery strategies to the unique characteristics of each project. By assigning responsibilities to the parties best positioned to manage them, we can better control uncertainty, improve project outcomes and maintain mobility for the traveling public.

Strengthening collaboration across project teams

We have found that the success of alternative delivery models depends as much on the people involved as it does on the delivery structure itself. Complex infrastructure projects inevitably encounter technical issues, unforeseen conditions and competing priorities. The ability to navigate those challenges efficiently often comes down to the relationships and trust established among the project team.

When owners, designers and contractors approach projects with a shared commitment to solving problems and advancing the work, those challenges can be addressed more effectively. Open communication and a collaborative mindset help our organization overcome challenges quickly, maintain momentum and keep projects aligned with the broader goal of keeping Utah moving.

Continuing to evolve project delivery

Alternative delivery has become an important part of how UDOT delivers complex transportation projects across the state. By helping to reduce construction durations, better manage project risks and create opportunities for stronger collaboration among project partners, alternative delivery supports our mission. As UDOT continues to advance major capital investments in Region 2 and across the state, maintaining this focus on efficient delivery and strong partnerships will remain essential to delivering infrastructure improvements that serve Utah’s growing communities.