Beyond Acquisition: The Role of Right-of-Way in Successful Project Delivery

Right-of-way (ROW) is often viewed as a step between design and construction, but its impact begins much earlier. 

Dunaway’s right-of-way professionals support clients through acquisition, negotiation, utility coordination, and relocation assistance, helping projects move efficiently from planning through construction. Integrating ROW strategy into the planning and design process can help project teams identify potential challenges sooner, reduce risk, and stay on schedule and within budget. 

As Dunaway’s Director of Right-of-Way, Trent Dewitt, R/W-NAC, R/W-RAC, explains, “The greatest value right-of-way brings to a project is the ability to identify challenges early enough to address them before they affect schedules, budgets, or stakeholder relationships.” That approach is grounded in early involvement, responsive communication, client trust, and collaboration across disciplines. 

In our latest insight, we take a closer look at projects throughout Texas,  to explore how these principles are helping teams anticipate challenges, reduce delays, and keep complex infrastructure projects moving forward.

Early Communication Eliminates Surprises

Located along the I-35 corridor, Bethany SUD constructed CR 810, a major water transmission line supporting expanding industrial and commercial development. Dunaway partnered with the SUD to provide right-of-way acquisition services, securing five easements necessary for the pipeline’s continued operation. 

The integration of Dunaway’s design and right-of-way teams enabled the early identification of landowner concerns, allowing potential issues to be addressed before easement negotiations began – creating a more efficient acquisition process. As Trent explains, “The best right-of-way outcomes occur when acquisition planning starts while design is still underway.” 

Establishing contact early allows property owners to understand the project, ask questions, and know what to expect as acquisition moves forward. At the same time, the team gathered key contact information and developed an understanding of potential concerns before final plans were complete. This groundwork enabled acquisition to begin immediately upon design completion, accelerating project delivery and helping the client complete the project ahead of schedule and under budget. 

Proactive Problem-Solving Prevents Costly Delays

FM 1053 | Pecos County

Located in Pecos County, FM 1053 is being relocated by the Texas Department of Transportation due to sinkhole activity and roadway instability associated with subsurface settlement and abandoned oil wells. Dunaway is supporting this high-priority project by providing comprehensive right-of-way services, including appraisal, acquisition, condemnation support, relocation assistance, and property disposition. 

At project kickoff, the team received 40 completed property surveys to initiate the appraisal process. During its quality review, we identified numerous discrepancies and provided detailed redlines to TxDOT. Identifying these issues at the outset enabled TxDOT to coordinate corrections with the survey consultant before surveys were released to property owners, helping prevent complications that could have delayed negotiations and acquisition activities later in the project. 

Proactive problem-solving often starts with detailed review and quality control. As Trent notes, “Identifying issues early allows project teams to resolve challenges before they affect property owners, acquisition activities, or overall project delivery.”  

Collaborative Integration Creates Better Outcomes

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is widening US 380, a vital east-west corridor serving one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. Dunaway is providing comprehensive Right of Entry (ROE) acquisition services for the project, securing landowner permissions necessary for survey, mapping, and subsurface utility engineering (SUE) investigations along the project corridor. 

As Trent explains, Dunaway’s multidisciplinary team is one of our greatest differentiators. “When right-of-way, survey, utility coordination, and engineering teams are sharing information in real time, projects move forward more efficiently because everyone is working from the same information,” explains Dewitt. 

As a multidisciplinary firm, Dunaway accelerated survey and SUE efforts by integrating its in-house ROW, survey, and utility coordination teams. By securing ROE agreements and communicating property access approvals in real time, the ROW team enabled field personnel to mobilize quickly and perform investigations without unnecessary delays.  

Property ownership, contact information, and access permissions collected during ROE acquisition were shared directly with the survey and SUE teams. This eliminated duplicate research, supported consistent communication, and allowed technical teams to focus on field investigations. With each discipline working from the same information, they reduced potential delays and supported more informed decision-making throughout the corridor. 

Right-of-Way as a Project Delivery Strategy

While right-of-way is often associated with easement acquisition and property negotiations, its true value extends beyond individual transactions. Effective ROW strategy connects people, information, and project teams early enough to anticipate challenges rather than react to them. 

“Successful right-of-way isn’t just about acquiring easements or property interests,”explains Trent.“It’s about building trust, maintaining communication, and helping clients navigate challenges before they become obstacles.” Whether through early landowner communication, multidisciplinary collaboration, or proactive problem-solving, integrating ROW into the broader project delivery process helps clients reduce risk, maintain schedules, and move complex infrastructure projects forward more efficiently. 

Let’s Find Solutions Together 

Successful right-of-way delivery begins well before acquisition. By integrating ROW strategy early in the project lifecycle, Dunaway helps clients anticipate challenges, coordinate teams, and maintain momentum from planning through construction. Connect with our team to discuss how a proactive ROW approach can support your next project.