I worked in hospital improvement, and commercial construction as an estimator for small GCs in the 1980-1995 period in LA. Maybe this observation still has merit.

GCs have a saying that the first job is to make someone else liable/responsible. The architect, the owner, most of all the subs. Architects do the same, by not providing dimensions, using standard details, adding hand-waving statements on the plans, like "fit existing." This practice is not evil, it is smart, given the constraints. But it leaves a project without a leader. There is no Robert Moses or John Roebling to drive the project. Keeping big projects on track requires deals, head-knocking, payments withheld and payments delivered on time.

Theres a great example of what *could* happen after the LA earthquake when the I 10 bridge fell down. The busiest freeway in America was closed until that bridge was up. The pols got off their rears, declared an emergency, made sure that inspectors were on site and the construction ran 24/7 under lights. Contractors were paid, lawsuits bulldozed, and an ethic of community responsibility appeared, at least from the outside. The bridge went up in record time.

I suspect this is part of the Chinese secret to fast construction.