Investing in Utah Transportation Research

Measuring the benefits of transportation research investments is important to justify the expenditure of research funding and maintain the support of management. Understanding the benefits of research can better establish how future available funds are utilized and maximize how the funding is allocated. This study was initiated to estimate the benefits of the Utah Department of Transportation's (UDOT’s) research projects over a four-year period, and estimate a benefit-cost ratio for the program. Benefit information gathered in this study indicate that the studies completed during the years 2009 through 2012 by the UDOT Research Program had an estimated benefit-cost ratio of 14. This included 76 deliverables produced by 66 projects. Projects were also assigned a grade based on the success of the project and the value of the deliverables. The four year program received a grade of 3.0 based on a 1 to 4 rating system. In addition ratings were compiled for the project managers, principal investigators, and the Utah Transportation Research Advisory Council (UTRAC) Process used to select projects for funding. Recommendations were provided to aid UDOT research managers in improving the implementation of research deliverables and products. A process was developed and outlined for use by the UDOT Division of Research to gather benefit information related to research projects on an annual basis.

• Record URL:
  • https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qTmAEO6zeQk7A7W8p9XQ9Ql9wkdRwxQm/view
• Corporate Authors:

  Anderson Transportation Consulting

  1088 Gadzooks Drive
  Sandy, UT  United States  84094

  Utah Department of Transportation

  4501 South 2700 West
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84114-8410

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Anderson, Douglas I
• Publication Date: 2016-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 52p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Economic benefits; Implementation; Investments; Ratings; Recommendations; Research projects
• Identifier Terms: Utah Department of Transportation
• Geographic Terms: Utah
• Subject Areas: Economics; Research; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01845322
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UT-16.07
• Contract Numbers: 158063
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 16 2022 4:59PM