Government Impacts on Budget Projects
Abstract
This paper describes a government’s project and the
effects on the operating budget. It will describe the agency and the type of
government project and the implementation process. The paper will address the
advantages and disadvantages of the project on the agency’s operating budget.
The authors will summarize findings and make recommendations about the effects
of capital projects on operating budgets.
An operating budget is the annual budget that contains
estimates of the total value of resources required for the operation including
reimbursable work or services for others. The operating budget itemizes income
and expenses that a business generates following start up. Operating budgets
are significant in that they enable one to assess personal finances one year at
a time. Operating budgets include sales costs, commissions, overhead,
utilities, taxes, labor costs, salaries, etc.
Overview of the Agency
TDOT is a multimodal agency with statewide accountabilities
in roads, air, public transportation, waterways, and railways. The Tennessee
Department of Transportation utilizes roughly 3400 employees with four
statewide facilities in Jackson, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville. TDOT implemented
a calculated administration methodology to business development by mixing
tactical planning with operational management practices. Organizational
strategic management calls for constant procedures where assets, outcomes,
crucial issues, developments, and citizen needs are intermittently reviewed to
help gauge and establish significances (TDOT, 2019).
U.S 27 reconstruction in downtown Chattanooga is a
construction that began in 2015 with a starting budget of $126 million dollars.
This is a budget that has been projected to update a freeway and a bridge. This
is a much-needed change that will serve close to 70,000 traveling vehicles
daily. The freeway was originally built in the 1950s and 1960s that spans over
2.3 miles. This project will not only provide updates to the freeway, but it will
also widen the Olgiati Bridge that stretches across the Tennessee River. The
updates will add consist of traveling lanes and ramp lanes in each go in each
direction. By also adding collector-distributor roads, it provides access to
other roads. Overall, the roadway will run along 1.623 miles and the bridge
will be a total of 0.665 miles, for a total project length of 2.288 miles. This
project is projected to have some road blockage and lane closures for the
safety of motorist travelers (TDOT, 2019).
Type of Government &
Implementation Process
The state of Tennessee began a
$2.2 million highway safety project proceeded July 26, 2019. Jennifer Flynn,
TDOT Community Relations Officer explained that the project will make State
Route 293 intersections into a J-turn. The first phase will see workers
operating in the median. Traffic will close Highway 111 to one lane and the
speed limit will drop from 65 mph to 55 mph (Cleary, 2019).
According to Overton County News
(2019), the project is for safety enhancements on SR-111 at SR-293 in Overton
County, Tennessee. The project affects Tennessee’s operating budget at a cost
of $2, 183,248.71. TDOT explains that a J-turn is an alternate to conventional
intersections on a four-lane highway. Drivers will turn right (instead of left)
in the same direction of traffic, merging into a left lane, then into the
J-turn where drivers will then be going in the desired direction. Using
J-turns, drivers experience less time than pausing for a safer and suitable
space to cross traffic. The point of J-turns is to significantly lessen and
cease crashes common when drivers must cross over hectic highways to get to
another road. Basically, J-turns reduce the need for drivers to cross over
high-speed lanes to get to opposite lanes.
The second phase will position
new drainage formations, including catch basins and storm drainage pipes
followed by forming extensive asphalt shoulders along SR-111. Traffic will
remain one lane until conclusion of the project (Overton County, 2019). The operating
budget is impacted positively and negatively with the implementation of J-turn
intersections. J-turns can replace signal lights which decreases maintenance
expenses significantly, no retaining walls or special gradings are required.
However, additional pavement width or reinforced shoulders are common in J-turn
designs, therefore, extra resources should be budgeted.
More road signage is required,
along with temporary signage, to provide illumination to foreign drivers. These
may create substantial added costs. Citizen involvement and media costs can be
a significant factor of the operating budget and should not be ignored (MDOT,
2010).
References
Cleary, R. (2019). TDOT begins $2.2m highway 111
safety project. Stonecom Cookeville LLC. News Talk 94.1. Retrieved from
newstalk941.com/tdot-begins-2-2m-highway-111-safety-project/
MDOT. (2010).
Synthesis of J-turn design standards and criteria. Mississippi Department
of Transportation. Retrieved from http://sp.mdot.ms.gov/Roadway%20Design/documents/FINAL%20Synthesis%20of%20J-Turn.pdf
Overton County News. (2019).
State installing J-turn on highway 111. Retrieved from https://www.overtoncountynews.com/news/state-installing-j-turn-on-hwy/article_aa617daa-b30a-11e9-8cff-b78b2ed31fa8.html
TDOT. (2019).
Transportation projects. Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Retrieved from https://www.tn.gov/tdot/projects/region-2/us-27-reconstruction-in-downtown-chattanooga.html
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