ROADWAY DECISION MAKING AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ENERGY USE: SOME ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

Energy costs are discussed in relation to the many other factor costs that are considered as a part of the complex resource allocation problem that is at the center of every roadway design problem. Efforts (housekeeping measures, non-output-related investments, capital turnover) now under way to conserve energy in the industrial sector are considered and similarities between this area and those in the roadway area are suggested. Potential areas for saving roadway energy are distributed between actions involving capital use and factor substitution and measures to stop waste through little or no use of capital. In this category, ways to change procedure and thereby reduce energy use are listed and include; judicious use of maintenance vehicles; minimize double handling during construction; reduce frequency of maintenance operations; and minimize waste of materials. In the factor substitution category are direct substitutions of capital for energy as well as more subtle forms of substitution of one material for another. Examples are listed of possible material substitution decisions with consequences for first and life-cycle energy costs. The dependence of product prices on the energy prices is discussed and a set of calculations is provided for energy price increases associated with President Ford's 1974 proposed deregulation and tax program. It is pointed out that energy use considerations requirea broad look at several implications.

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr166/166-003.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0360859X
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Energy Administration, and the Energy Research and Development Administration.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Chiogioji, Melvin H
• Conference:
  • Conference on Optimizing the Use of Materials and Energy in Transportation Construction
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1975-11-12 to 1975-11-14
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 10-17
• Monograph Title: OPTIMIZING THE USE OF MATERIALS AND ENERGY IN TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 166
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calculation; Costs; Decision making; Energy; Financial capital; Highway maintenance; Highways; Prices; Resource allocation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Computation
• Old TRIS Terms: Substitutes
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Finance; Highways; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00149930
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 13 1977 12:00AM