Infrastructure projects are the basic systems of a region or country that allow people to work and live. Some examples include transportation networks, telecommunications, water, and schools. These systems usually have a significant budget, are large in scope, and require careful engineering to ensure the safety of all involved. They also tend to have a longer construction timeline than other types of projects. Some infrastructure is publicly funded and controlled, while other infrastructure may be privately owned.
For example, a private energy company might choose to build pipelines and railways in a country where it wishes to refine petroleum for its own profit. Privately owned infrastructure may also be maintained by the government as part of a public-private partnership. In both cases, the work is usually performed by a contractor with experience in infrastructure projects.
An important point to remember about infrastructure projects is that they are often in populated areas, where people are moving about during the day and night. For example, when a contracting firm is working on a highway, they must plan their work schedule carefully to avoid closing the road in the middle of rush hour.
Infrastructure is generally divided into two categories, hard and soft infrastructure. Hard infrastructure refers to the physical networks needed for a modern industrial society, including roads and railways. Soft infrastructure refers to the services that maintain the economic, health, and social standards of a population, including education, government offices, and law enforcement agencies.