Research Idea Details

Fish and Wildlife Culvert Replacement Cost Estimator

Research Idea Scope

Traditional culvert designs may create fish and wildlife passage barriers.  Project budgets are based on early scoping and preliminary estimates.  Cost differences between standard culvert and bank-spanning or other alternate designs are not well documented resulting in cost overruns or non-competitive projects that don’t get funding.  A means for biological and regulatory staff to estimate order of magnitude and life-cycle costs for project planning is needed for project cost estimating and regulatory negotiations. 

Urgency and Payoff

Improved project scoping and cost estimating, improved early negotiations internally and externally, improved long range planning, reduction in need for regulatory actions.  Need a tool for preliminary cost estimating and life-cycle cost estimating.  Should include maintenance cost avoidance. 

Suggested By:
Richard Hill, Caltrans
Submitted:
07/29/2010