摘要: |
This NCHRP synthesis investigates the extent to which state DOTs and MPOs evaluate and compare different types of transportation improvement strategies and, in cases in which these agencies do undertake such evaluations, explores the reasons for conducting this analysis and the concomitant methods and policies. Transportation agencies are responsible for providing the traveling public with a reliable and safe transportation system. In the past, this has meant building new roadways or adding lanes to existing roads, but as the population continues to grow and available land becomes more limited, this approach may not yield the best value for the traveling public. Additionally, as resources become more constrained and infrastructure continues to age, a few transportation agencies have taken a data-driven approach to transportation investment that attempts to compare added highway capacity projects to other modal projects and strategies such as high-capacity transit, active transportation modes, and rail freight. This synthesis identifies the current state of assessment of added highway capacity projects versus how the value of different types of transportation projects are calculated to determine the best use of public funds to increase mode choices, reduce congestion, improve travel times, improve safety, and efficiently move freight. |