Civil Engineering September 2022 | Vol 30 No 8

Civil Engineering September 2022 21 This process is not specific to South Africa. The Infrastructure and Projects Authority, England, through its Foreign and Commonwealth Office, presents the Five Case Development for Infrastructure Projects: International Guidance Practitioner Course. The general process and assurance gateway reviews are similar. Common objectives ensure that: Q Q The strategic need for the project and how it is placed in the wider scheme of things is assessed. Q Q The project is economically and socially desirable. Q Q The project can be implemented commercially through an appropriate contract/tender process. Q Q The project is affordable (its cost is within the allocated budget). Q Q The project can be practically deliv- ered (risk assessment). PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES Unlike the design team, which works on the project over a relatively long time to develop the concept designs, the gateway review members have had no previous in- sight into the project. I can only allocate a few hours to review the summary reports and presentations prior to the presenta- tions. In this time, I need to understand: Q Q If the project going to meet the objec- tives above. Q Q That data and assumptions used were appropriate to develop the concepts and the logical sequence of developing the concepts. Q Q The rationale followed in recom- mending the proposed solution produces a fit-for-purpose and value- for-money outcome. I appreciate the time and effort that it takes to complete concept designs, and for the most part, most of the necessary information is there. As a traffic engineer and transport planner I may come across as a bit one sided, but I find that common issues in submissions include: Q Q Project reports do not start at the beginning (set the scene) by briefly summarising how the project fits into the big picture and what is really needed along the route. Q Q Designs are prepared without a full understanding of the loading and functionality that the facility must cater for, and how this may change along the route. Q Q Guidelines are used “selectively” to promote a particular design as op- posed to what would provide the best value for money. Q Q Design elements are prepared in silos without continuity through the report and while each section of the report is prepared by specialists, the report does not seem to have been read through for consistency. As a reviewer, I go backwards and forwards through the report because a number produced from a study in the beginning changes halfway through, and I have to backtrack to find out where the new number came from (which is often nowhere to be found). I acknowledge the challenge the de- signers face in dealing with very generic scopes of works. Tender documents are prepared from proforma documents that attempt to cover all the bases in one or two sentences. I believe that this reiter- ates the need to start the design from the beginning and confirm the road’s functional classification (COTO, 2018) and the environment it passes through, especially if this changes along the project section. THE DESIGN PROCESS The design process takes a perceived problem or need and turns it into an implementable, fit-for-purpose solution that addresses the problem or need in a cost-effective way that provides value for money for the client. The design process typically com- prises the assessment stage, the detailed studies, and the concept design, followed by the preliminary and detailed design of the chosen concept. In supposedly straightforward projects, the concept designs may be excluded from the scope. However, if the cost of the works increases to above the Gateway Review threshold values, it will still be subject to a Stage 2 review. While I cannot prescribe how con- sultants compile their reports – in the past it came back to bite me with “but he said” – I hope that the ideas put forward below are considered in the early stages of the design development. HANDOVER MEETING To get to the handover meeting, I assume that the design team had a hand in com- piling the tender. Therefore, the location of the road is known. While the project may only cover a relatively short distance, it forms part of a route. Get to understand the entire route, the location of the ends, its overall length, and what it connects. ASSESSMENT The assessment typically considers what exists: objectives of the project as provided in the tender documents, the typology (climate, geology), the existing traffic information along the road, the geometry and its compliance to desired speeds, number and type of accesses, the condition of the pavement, the condition of the drainage, and structures. If there is insufficient data, proposals are made to obtain the necessary data during the detailed studies. These studies then derive the necessary inputs upon which to develop the designs. Figure 1 The project process Plan Do Check Act Project processes Close-out (stage 7) Handover (stage 6) Works (stage 5) Design documentation (stage 4) Design development (stage 3) Concept (stage 2) Initiation (Stage 1) G1 Initiation report G2 Concept report G3 Design report G4 Design documents G5 Works completion report G6 Project information report G7 Close-out report