Evaluating Skilled Labor Shortage Impacts on Construction Cost and Schedule: A Case Study of the California High-Speed Rail Project

10 pages•Published: June 2, 2026

Saiteja Vattikuti, Yupeng Luo, Manideep Tummalapudi and Maria Calahorra-Jimenez

Abstract

The U.S. construction industry continues to face a critical shortage of skilled workers due to rising infrastructure demand alongside an aging workforce. This research examines the California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) project to assess the impact of skilled labor shortages on cost and schedule performance, as well as effective responses. A qualitatively driven mixed-methods design was adopted, with a combination of a targeted literature review, analysis of California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) business plans and labor data (2021-2024), and semi-structured interviews with CAHSR project stakeholders. The findings reveal that labor shortages are linked to higher costs associated with wage inflation, overtime premiums, and extended project durations; while schedule risks stem from delays on critical-path activities, task resequencing, reliance on overtime, and reduced flexibility. The study also highlights the limitations of short-term solutions and the importance of scalable, long-term workforce planning strategies such as internal workforce development, targeted recruitment, early planning, and selective technology adoption. These insights can inform comparable megaprojects seeking greater performance control and delivery resilience.

Keyphrases: california high speed rail, infrastructure, skilled labor, workforce shortage

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference, vol 7, pages 1092-1101.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/5kQd
	https://doi.org/10.29007/nb8w

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2026:Evaluating_Skilled_Labor_Shortage,
  author    = {Saiteja Vattikuti and Yupeng Luo and Manideep Tummalapudi and Maria Calahorra-Jimenez},
  title     = {Evaluating Skilled Labor Shortage Impacts on Construction Cost and Schedule: A Case Study of the California High-Speed Rail Project},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {7},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/5kQd},
  doi       = {10.29007/nb8w},
  pages     = {1092-1101},
  year      = {2026}}

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