IDENTIFICATION OF SELECTED ECONOMIC IMPACTS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO THE HIGHWAY ENVIRONMENT

THREE ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE HIGHWAY ENVIRONMENT ARE CONSIDERED HERE. THEY ARE NAMELY, EMPLOYMENT, TAXES, AND PROPERTY VALUES. THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATES REQUIRING CONSIDERATION OF THE ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE FEDERAL AID HIGHWAY PROGRAM ARE OUTLINED. THE LONGER RANGE EFFECTS OF HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION ON TAX REVENUES HAVE PROVED TO BE FAVORABLE. ANALYSES OF LAND VALUES NEAR HIGHWAYS HAVE SHOWN THAT GAINS IN VALUE ARE MORE COMMON THAN LOSSES. TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF A PROPOSED HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT AND ITS ALTERNATIVES ON COMMUNITY TAXES, CONSIDERATION MUST BE GIVEN TO THE NET CHANGE (PLUS OR MINUS) IN REAL ESTATE TAXES BASED ON THE LOSSES FROM THOSE PROPERTIES TAKEN FOR USE AS TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, AND ANY GAINS (OR LOSSES) IN TAXES RESULTING FROM CHANGED VALUATIONS OF NON-RELOCATED PROPERTIES AND FROM JOINT DEVELOPMENT OR OTHER CONSTRUCTION STIMULATED BY THE FACILITIES. THE IMPACT OF THE HIGHWAY ENVIRONMENT ON PROPERTY VALUES IS DISCUSSED. IN AN EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF HIGHWAYS ON EMPLOYMENT, THE FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED MUST INCLUDE INDIRECT LOSSES AND GAINS FROM TAKINGS AND REPLACEMENTS, AND THE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES THEMSELVES. THE NUMBER AND KINDS OF JOBS TAKEN AND THE EARNINGS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH JOBS MAY BE ESTIMATED FOR EACH ALTERNATIVE. A MATRIX IS PRESENTED WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST IN DETERMINING THE EMPLOYMENT IMPACT. SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDIES ARE REVIEWED. THESE INCLUDE PUBLIC RECORDS SUCH AS LAND SALES ETC., AND UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DATA SUCH AS CENSUS INFORMATION. IN A DISCUSSION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, THE NEED IS EXPRESSED FOR QUANTITATIVE INDICATORS TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC OBSERVATIONS. TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF THE ECONOMIC COVERAGE IN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS ARE PRESENTED.

• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Wallerstein, L B
• Publication Date: 1973-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 15 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data collection; Economic impacts; Employment; Environmental impact statements; Environmental impacts; Highways; Land values; Laws; Social impacts; Socioeconomic factors; Taxation
• Candidate Terms: Highway economics
• Old TRIS Terms: Community consequences
• Subject Areas: Economics; Environment; Highways; Law; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00202363
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 20 1974 12:00AM