Better Use of Public Dollars: Economic Impact Analysis in Transportation Decision Making

There is a broad consensus among policy-makers, advocates, and thought-leaders that the federal government needs to use available transportation funds more effectively. This coincides with a public desire for greater accountability and transparency in government spending more generally. This paper explores the role that economic impact analysis can play in accomplishing these goals in the following three sections: (1) Federal Policy Background - This section provides a chronological account of how economic analysis has factored into federal transportation policy to date. It describes changes introduced as part of several recent transportation reauthorization bills, as well as current directions in the use of economic impact analysis. It also reviews three current discretionary programs that utilize economic impact analysis; (2) Economic Impact Analysis at the State Level: Four Case Studies - This section details examples from states that have incorporated economic impact analysis in their decision-making processes; and (3) Policy Recommendations - This section draws on lessons learned from the federal programs and state case studies to recommend ways to improve decision making in transportation.

• Record URL:
  https://www.enotrans.org/store/research-papers/public-dollars
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper is the first annual William P. Eno Research Paper.
• Corporate Authors:

  Eno Center for Transportation

  1250 I Street, NW, Suite 750
  Washington, DC  United States  20005
• Authors:
  • Norboge, Nicolas
• Publication Date: 2012-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 24p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Decision making; Economic analysis; Economic impacts; Federal government; Financing; State government; Strategic planning; Transportation planning; Transportation policy
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Transportation (General); I10: Economics and Administration; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01373041
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 15 2012 4:10PM