Comprehensive Analysis of Scheduling Processes in Road Intersections: Associating Deficiencies and Their Consequences in Colombian Projects  
[PERSON]  
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga 680002, Colombia; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] or [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (K.C. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (G.M.) [PERSON]  
3 Department of Civil Engineering, Pontificia Universidad D'Aquila, D'Aqu  
and maintain existing ones. Global infrastructure investment is projected to grow at an average annual rate of approximately 3.4% between 2016 and 2040, reflecting a sustained increase in government and private sector commitments to infrastructure development [4]. Due to their characteristics, road projects require significant financial resources that can be compromised in the case of delays and cost overruns [5]. Therefore, delivering these projects on time is essential. To achieve this, careful planning of construction schedules is crucial, enabling efficient control and monitoring processes [6]. This allows for informed decision-making during construction and early mitigation of possible extensions to the initially projected deadlines and budgets [7]. The planning of construction schedules in road intersection projects involves several key processes. These include defining activities, estimating durations, allocating resources, and analyzing precedence relationships [6]. Thus, a proper schedule planning exercise promotes efficiency and optimization of construction resources and facilitates communication and coordination between the different disciplines involved in the project [8]. A well-planned schedule enables analysis of the financial requirements at various stages of construction and allows for task adjustments based on the organization's technical and functional capabilities [9]. An efficient schedule planning exercise allows the construction manager to identify the resources required for the development of the activities, as well as the dates and sequences in which they must be carried out [10]. In this way, the construction schedule becomes an indispensable input for monitoring and controlling the construction process, both in terms of time and budget performance, for which various techniques can be adopted, such as the Last Planner System [11] and the Earned Value Management technique [12,13]. Therefore, due to the critical role of scheduling in road construction projects, it is crucial for managers to identify potential deficiencies and areas where shortcomings could significantly impact the construction phase's progress [14]. Road intersection projects present unique complexity and operational challenges. Unlike linear roadway segments, intersections concentrate traffic flows and often require integration with subway and overhead utility networks, leading to more intricate planning requirements. In addition, these projects often require the implementation of detailed Traffic Management Plans to maintain safe and continuous circulation during construction. These factors make intersection projects particularly sensitive to planning deficiencies, which can result in significant cost overruns and delays. By focusing on these types of projects, the study provides a more detailed and specific analysis that contributes to improved scheduling practices under more demanding conditions. The planning of schedules in road intersection projects often faces several challenges that can hinder successful development and continuity. These challenges include errors in estimating construction quantities, overly optimistic expectations about labor and machinery performance, failures in predicting weather conditions, and coordination deficiencies with public services and government entities [15]. These shortcomings can lead to schedules that do not accurately represent the reality of the construction process, resulting in delays, cost overruns, and disputes.