Given the importance of public infrastructure projects to the civil construction and considering the Brazilian context, the aim of this paper is to improve the management efficiency concerning project management methods applied to this kind of construction project. Using a multiple case study approach, the research has examined two large infrastructure projects and identified the critical points to achieve project's success. One project is from the sanitation sector and the other from the transportation sector, both developed in the Metropolitan Area of Sao Paulo and its surroundings. Public infrastructure projects normally have high levels of technical and management complexities. In recent years in Brazil, infrastructure projects have been showing increasing costs and a growing number of active companies. Moreover, these kinds of projects tend to interfere in the urban and rural areas in the cities, presenting many different influences and interests coming from several stakeholders and, consequently, bringing a high level of management complexity. This paper presents the initial results of the case studies carried out in order to identify guidelines for the application of project management methods in public infrastructure projects. Continually taking into account the context and the specific needs of each project, these guidelines intend to aid structuring, planning and maximizing the results, the final quality of the construction products and contribute with the improvement of project management practices adopted.