Driving transportation efficiency

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) strives to sustain a transportation system that enhances safety and improves the quality of life for all Illinois residents. To do so, IDOT often relies on outside consulting firms to provide architectural and engineering services. By late 2015, the backlog for reviewing contracts with architectural and engineering firms had reached nine months. These delays added greatly to project costs, not to mention the time that necessary improvements went unaddressed.

With pro bono support from Chamberlain a subsidiary of The Duchossois Group, Civic Consulting Alliance trained IDOT staff in Lean process improvement methodologies to reduce cycle times and the backlog of contracts.

The IDOT team embraced the new Lean approach, tackling projects to improve document flow, standardize activities, and develop tracking reports to measure progress.

Since the start of this work, process cycle times and the backlog have both been reduced by 60%. Moreover, the lessons learned from these efforts are being applied to other processes across IDOT. As a result, IDOT is better equipped to deliver critical infrastructure projects and improve transportation for every Illinoisan.

"In very short time, Civic Consulting Alliance and Chamberlain helped us understand our consultant agreement process in a much deeper way and inspired the team to develop creative and lasting solutions," said IDOT Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. "Our staff is excited by the progress we've already made, and even more so to apply these techniques in other ways across IDOT."

Please click Here For more information on this project, please contact Brian Battle.