Factors Affecting Cost and Execution Period of Trail Bridge Construction Project in Nyamagabe District, Rwanda

Abstract

The general objective of this study was to assess the factors affecting execution period (delays) of trail bridge construction project in Nyamagabe district of Rwanda, in southern Province. The study was guided by the following objectives: To assess the effects of environmental factors on bridge completion period in Nyamagabe district, to assess the effect of financial factors on bridge completion period in Nyamagabe district and to assess the effect of changes on bridge completion period in Nyamagabe district. A sample of 80 individuals was selected from a pool of 396 participants involved in the construction of bridges. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 23, and the primary tool for data collection was a questionnaire. Linear regression analysis was employed to identify the factors that influence the delays in the execution period, with a 95% confidence interval and a statistically significant threshold set at a P-value of less than 0.05. The study revealed a significant negative influence of environmental factors on the completion of bridge construction projects, as evidenced by the regression coefficient of 0.425 and the t-value of -0.343. This statistical significance was confirmed by the p-value of 0.002, which is below the threshold of 0.05. The study also identified that financial issues may have an impact on the timely completion of the project, as indicated by the regression coefficient of -0.142 and the t-value of 1.655. However, the statistical analysis showed that this relationship was not statistically significant, as the p-value of 0.102 is above the significance level of 0.05. Furthermore, the study revealed negative effects of changes that occur during the implementation of bridge projects in Nyamagabe District. This is evident from the regression coefficient of -0.294 and the t-value of -3.318, both of which are statistically significant. The p-value of 0.001 is less than the threshold of 0.05, indicating a significant impact of changes on the project.his study concluded that environmental factors and changes related factors have a negative influence on the project execution. This means that those factors contribute more in the delaying and execution of project. Through this, the project stakeholders should conduct deep situational analysis in order to avoid cost and time overrun. Keywords: Cost, Execution Period, Trail Bridge Construction Project, Nyamagabe District, Rwanda