Delivering an Effective State of Good Repair Program for Transit Modernization

TAM America had the privilege of conducting an interview with Alisha Adaway, Project Manager, Facilities & Systems Engineering, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), and is pleased to share her insights into delivering a comprehensive and reliable SGR program by strengthening cross functional coordination and standardization.

Please tell us about your role at DART and your background that led you to this role. What are your current priorities with respect to your role?

I’m a Construction Project Manager at DART focused on State of Good Repair (SGR) delivery across operating facilities. Over the past 2½ years at DART—and 10+ years overall in transit—I’ve managed maintenance departments, commissioned new rail vehicles, trained operators and maintainers, and built a maintenance organization from the ground up (equipment procurement, asset management plan, staffing, schedules, and PMIs).

At DART, I’ve delivered SGR packages totaling $20M+ in capital—including facility roof replacements, bus lift renewals, and 70-ton HVAC systems. I’m an active member of the PMI Dallas Chapter, which keeps my delivery methods grounded in PMBOK standards and practical controls.

Current priorities:

• Execute a reliable SGR portfolio—zero safety incidents, on-time turnover, and full documentation (submittals, as-builts, O&M, warranties) to Asset Owners and Document Control.
• Strengthen cross-functional coordination—daily engagement with Operations, Maintenance, Procurement, Finance, Safety, IT, and Asset Management to break silos.
• Standardize repeatable delivery—stage-gates, risk-based schedules, and commissioning protocols that cut lifecycle cost and improve availability.

Please tell us about the DART Transform Program and how it prioritizes SGR.

Transform is DART’s system-wide modernization effort. SGR sits at the center: get core assets healthy first, then layer resiliency, accessibility, and technology. In practice, that means sequenced replacements (fleet and facilities), standardization (controls, signaling, and lift systems), and weather hardening. For the construction portfolio, our Transform lens translates into clear “run-to-renewal” triggers, bundled facility projects, and documentation quality that supports long-term asset performance.

What is the scope of DART’s asset management and SGR programs? What are some of the key programs and projects in the capital program?

Scope spans the full asset lifecycle: inventory and condition assessment; risk-based prioritization; capital planning; design and procurement; construction, commissioning, and turnover; and ongoing performance monitoring. We align construction handover artifacts to Asset Management needs—validated asset lists, tag/serial data, spare parts, PM templates, and O&M training records—so maintenance can start strong on Day 1.

Representative programs and projects:

• Facilities SGR bundles: roof systems, structural repairs, shop equipment (bus lifts), major HVAC plant replacements, electrical distribution, and controls.
• Accessibility & stations: targeted upgrades that improve reliability and passenger experience.
• Resiliency: weatherization and systems hardening to reduce climate-driven downtime.
• Fleet and systems renewal: coordinated with maintenance windows to minimize service impacts.

What are some best practices that you have observed in the delivery of SGR projects?

• Stage-gate discipline: Scope freeze → 30/60/90 design reviews → procurement readiness → construction QA/QC → commissioning/turnover. Acceptance = complete documentation plus performance, not just substantial completion.
• Maintenance-led design: Involve maintainers in submittal reviews and factory witness tests; design for access, common spares, and lockout/tagout practicality.
• Risk-based schedules: Identify long-lead equipment early, align with operational outages, and protect float for weather and access constraints.
• Zero-harm execution: Daily Job Hazard Analysis (JHAs), permit-to-work rigor, and visible field leadership.
• Commissioning excellence: Pre-functional checklists, integrated systems testing, O&M training, and warranty activation meetings—with punch-list burn-down tied to payment milestones.
• Data-ready turnover: Asset registry updates (tag IDs, locations, critical spares, PM tasks) delivered in import-ready formats to the Asset Management system. I shared many of these lessons in my 2025 Dallas State of Good Repair talk, “The State of Good Repair Shift: Evolving Support for DART’s Major On-Call Construction Projects.”

How does DART balance its capital asset maintenance and replacement needs?

We combine condition, reliability, and service risk to decide repair vs. replace. Practically:

• Replace when failure rates, obsolescence, or safety risks exceed thresholds and lifecycle cost favors renewal.
• Rehab when remaining useful life is strong and targeted component replacement restores reliability at lower cost.
• Bundle & standardize to reduce unit prices, shorten procurement, and simplify training and spares.
• Coordinate outages with Operations to protect service, using off-peak and shoulder windows.
• Tie funding to risk reduction, not just age: safety, service continuity, regulatory exposure, and O&M burn.

You’re part of the 2025 EnoMax Program and presenting to DART executives on facilities’ role in KPIs. What’s the core thesis?

“Facilities Construction: The Quiet Engine Behind DART’s KPIs.” Facilities work underpins on time performance, fleet availability, safety, and cost/vehicle-mile. My pitch focuses on how Construction can directly assist Asset Management and Asset Owners during the project window:

• Organize asset data at the source: Require contractors to deliver validated asset registers (tag/serial, location, hierarchy), spare parts lists, warranty matrices, and PM task templates as contract deliverables—using import-ready formats aligned to the Asset Management system.
• Embed data checkpoints in the schedule: Data submittals at 60%/90%/pre- functional/commissioning, not just at closeout.
• Make turnover “operational.” Commissioning includes training, CMMS job plans, and stocked spares so the new asset can be maintained the next day.
• Create a single source of truth: Standard naming conventions, equipment IDs, and document control links (as-builts, O&M, test reports) tied to each asset record.
• Close the loop with KPIs: Track post-turnover reliability and work order trends for the first 6–12 months to verify benefits and refine standards.

What is your message for transit agencies seeking to upgrade aging capital assets but facing challenges due to growing SGR backlog and funding uncertainties?

1. Codify SGR first. Establish board-level policy for condition targets and reserve levels; protect SGR dollars from expansion until minimum asset health is met.
2. Think programs, not one-offs. Pre-approve standards, details, and submittal templates; use IDIQ/on-call vehicles to compress cycle time.
3. Be grant-ready. Keep shovel-ready designs, cost validation, NEPA/real estate clearances, and risk registers current.
4. Design for maintainability. Early maintenance buy-in + O&M training + spares plan beats after-the-fact fixes.
5. Measure what matters. Link every SGR dollar to KPIs—availability, mean distance between failures, energy use, and safety incidents—so leadership sees the ROI.
6. Communicate relentlessly. Daily coordination across Operations, Maintenance, Finance, Safety, and Asset Management keeps problems small and predictable.