Tell me if this sounds familiar: A city repaves a crumbling street only to dig it up again 9 months later to replace an aging water main. Chicago's new Project Coordination Office (PCO) is intended to prevent such unnecessary and costly headaches.
"Rather than simply working to make each [street] repair process smoother and more effective, CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein, along with William Cheaks, the deputy commissioner for infrastructure management, took a step back and realized that a little more coordination could go a long way," writes Steve Goldsmith. "Calling upon a local engineering firm to assist with implementation and ongoing coordination, Klein created the PCO to foster cooperation among all the departments, contractors and utilities that need to dig up streets."
"The PCO brings in not only other city departments but also private utilities such as Peoples' Gas and Commonwealth Edison. By timing all projects to coincide, the city can cut the streets less often, reducing costs as well as inconvenience for citizens. The results so far are encouraging: Introduced in 2012, the PCO saved the city $10 million in that first year, with more savings expected in 2013."
Read the full story: Chicago's Better Way to Dig Up the Streets
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