The Importance of Project Management in the Planning Process of Transport Infrastructure Projects in Germany

Abstract Transport infrastructure projects can cover very long time periods from conception to completion. Literature reviews regarding the planning periods of transport infrastructure projects in Germany have shown that the planning phase can take up to 20-29 years in the worst case. Apart from long planning periods cost overruns have become a phenomenon in transport infrastructure projects. Besides the length of the project development phase which seems to be a contributing factor in cost overruns there are also other factors influencing the costs of transport infrastructure projects. To describe the current planning process of rail and road construction projects, to explore the factors affecting planning duration and costs and to define the need for project management in public projects structured interviews have been carried out. The interviewees included experts of public agencies and engineering offices in Germany. Significant findings of this research are the confirmation of (outdated) literature about the factors influencing the duration and costs of public projects. Despite numerous influences on the duration of the planning period and the cost overruns only minor modifications have been carried out over the years. The findings of this research are of great importance to all project participants. According to the findings of the literature review and the expert interviews this paper presents opportunities for optimization by integrating essential elements of project management as standard processes in the planning phase of transport infrastructure projects.