An Analysis of factors causing time overruns in routine maintenance projects in Karonga district - A Case of Roads Authority funded projects

Abstract

This thesis had one main objective to address, i.e., analyse factors influencing time overruns in road maintenance projects funded by Roads Fund Administration through Fuel Levy and undertaken by the Roads Authority in Karonga District. Specifically, the study (a) reviewed factors influencing time overruns in road maintenance projects, (b) identified prime factors influencing time overruns in road maintenance projects in Karonga District, (c) ranked the identified time overruns factors, and (d) determined whether factors influencing time overruns were significantly different among different maintenance programmes. Roads Authority is currently implementing twelve main maintenance programmes in Karonga District as follows: pothole patching, bridge construction, sectional rehabilitation of paved roads, re-decking of timber bridges, grass cutting, grading, reshaping, road marking, replacement of road signs, spot repairs, emergency works and accident spot improvement. This study focused on three programmes namely; pothole patching, bridge construction and sectional rehabilitation of paved roads. The key element in the study was the people who were involved in the maintenance projects. A total of 130 copies of a questionnaire were distributed out of which 92 were dully completed and returned representing 71% response rate. Data analysis process employed the following tools; firstly the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was adopted to identify critical time overruns factors for projects, secondly, the Relative Importance Index (RII) method was used to rank factors influencing time overruns. Lastly, a paired t-test was used to determine whether factors influencing time overruns were significantly different among different maintenance programmes. The results demonstrate that the factors that significantly contribute to time overruns in road maintenance projects in Karonga District include: insufficient contractor cash flow, delays in producing variation orders, slow payment procedures adopted by client in making payments and delay in site mobilization. However, the paired t-test results show that there is significant difference of factors influencing time overruns among the three maintenance programmes. Therefore, to counteract to time overruns problem, each programme must be treated independent of the other.