INVESTMENT IN RURAL ROADS: WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR IMPROVED GRAVEL ROAD SERVICE IN FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION
North Dakota, as well as other Great Plains states, relies heavily on agriculture for economic viability. Transport of commodities from farm to market is an important issue and one where research is needed. As funding for rural roads is decreasing, the need for improvements and maintenance of rural roads used for agricultural freight transportation is increasing. The objective of this report is to ascertain information on user willingness-to-pay for improving service on gravel roads and user perceptions of funding for improving freight transportation services, such as road surface, safety and maintenance in rural areas. Data were collected using a survey to ask producers about their perceptions of roads used to haul commodities to market. When asked if they would be willing to pay for improvements to rural roads if it meant higher vehicle weight limits, 34% of respondents said yes. Thirty percent said yes to the willingness-to-pay question regarding improvements to rural roads that would lead to shorter driving distances to market. When asked about willingness-to-pay for pavement of gravel roads, 20% said yes. For improvement to rural road signing 12% said they would be willing to pay more.
- Record URL:
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Corporate Authors:
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND United States 58108 -
Authors:
- VanWechel, T
- Vachal, K
- Publication Date: 2004-12
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 35 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Attitudes; Distance; Freight transportation; Gravel roads; Highway maintenance; Highway safety; Improvements; Investments; Paving; Rural highways; Signs; Size and weight regulations; Smoothness; Surface course (Pavements); Surveys; Vehicle weight
- Uncontrolled Terms: Willingness to pay
- Geographic Terms: North Dakota
- Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Highways; Law; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00988082
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: MPC Report No. 04-168
- Files: UTC, TRIS
- Created Date: Mar 18 2005 12:00AM