Constructibility can be defined as the optimum use of construction knowledge and experience in planning, design, procurement, and field operations to achieve overall project objectives. Constructibility reviews have the potential to minimize the number and magnitude of changes, disputes, cost overruns, and delays during construction. However, constructibility review--as usually practiced by state transportation agencies (STAs)--has been a milestone-driven and largely informal process and has been given minimal attention during project planning and feasibility analysis.

Texas A&M Research Foundation has formalized the methodology for making constructibility practices an integral part of the project development process, thereby ensuring that resources will be available, the right expertise is involved, reviews will be performed in a timely manner, and constructibility knowledge and experience will be captured properly for easy retrieval later.

Their research findings, published in NCHRP Report,390, "Constructibility Review Process for Transportation Facilities," presents the logic, reasoning, and development for the formalization of that process. A companion publication, generated during this research, NCHRP Report 391, "Constructibility Review Process for Transportation Facilities--Workbook," supports the process for constructibility reviews that can be applied by STAs. The process consists of elements subdivided into increasing levels of detail. The workbook further details the functions, steps, actions, and tools essential to conduct a formal, comprehensive project-level Constructibility Review Process in a generic format that can be tailored to meet the characteristics of different project types and agency-level approaches.