An Analysis of the Main Causes of Delays in the Completion of Road Construction Projects: A Case Study of Tanzania

Completing road construction projects in time is a challenge for developing countries, specifically for Tanzania, where great economic costs result from difficulties in identifying and reducing the factors that cause the delay.

This study addresses factors that cause the delay of a road construction project in Tanzania and proposes some methods that could potentially reduce this delay. A structured questionnaire was drawn up through an interactive online workshop with the help of experts and professionals from the road construction sector in Tanzania, and follow-up interviews were conducted.

In addition, the first results were analyzed, and the factors identified were combined into five important groups, namely, client-related, consultant-related, contractor-related, design-related, and external factors. These were the main contributing aspects to delays in road construction projects in Tanzania.

Furthermore, from across these groups, six significant causes of delays emerged, and these were inadequate access to finance and delayed payments for completed work, financial problems or difficulties, unwillingness or inability to sustain operations over long periods of non-payment, an unrealistic program of works (Works Schedule), inadequate site management, and political interference.