Mohamed, M; Abdelaty, A; Khresat, G and Abu El Rub, M (2026) Mapping the patterns of cost and time overruns in the U.S. Highway construction projects: A regional risk analysis. International Journal of Construction Management, 26(3), pp. 470-481. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
Highway construction projects are inherently complex, with time and cost as risk factors requiring effective management for successful completion. Regional factors—such as climatic conditions and workforce availability—influence cost overruns and time delays in highway projects; thus, addressing these factors through robust risk management is essential for risk mitigation. As part of that goal, this research aims to map the cost and time overrun risk patterns across various regions in U.S. highway projects and examine how transportation agencies can leverage this risk mapping. Data from 186 highway construction projects across the four AASHTO regions were analyzed statistically to evaluate the risks of time delays and cost overruns. A focus group discussion with experts was conducted to validate the findings and identify strategies for leveraging risk mapping. The findings indicated no significant differences among the four regions regarding the overall risks of cost overruns and time delays. However, the northeastern states exhibited the highest incidence of cost overruns, while the western states experienced the most considerable time delays. The southern and midwestern regions demonstrated moderate risk levels in both categories. Eight strategies were identified to address these cost overruns and time delays arising from regional factors through the risk mapping.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cost overruns; risk mapping; schedule delay; time overruns |
| Index terms: | transportation agency, risk management, risk analysis, time overrun, highway construction, mapping, climatic condition, risk mitigation, focus group, strategy, schedule delay, time delay, risk factor, cost overrun |
| Subjects: | transportation engineering, management, risk assessment, project controls, civil engineering, climate science, spatial and geospatial analysis, financial and cost management, financial risk, data collection methods, environmental hazards |
| Topics: | Cost Management, Time Control, Business Strategy, Engineering Principles, Risk Management, Sustainability, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here