Making the Case for Freight Investments

Many transportation planning tools do not systematically incorporate freight, despite the fact that freight movements do not behave the same way as passenger travel. This paper describes the development of a new model to capture the additive economic costs and benefits of transportation improvements in relation to freight transportation. The model features three screens: estimation inputs, conventional cost-benefit analysis inputs, and summary of results. The estimation inputs screen gather key information from the user regarding the specific roadway improvement being analyzed. The tool requires users to enter segment-specific information that captures the likely dollar value of time associated with different types of freight movement and vehicle operating costs. The second screen enables the user to input freight benefits from a conventional highway cost-benefit analysis. The third screen presents the outcomes based on the user inputs from the first two screens. The regional elasticities are used to estimate long-run demand shift and calculate the ratio of long-run benefit to cost savings and consumer surplus. This new model could be used in the customized analysis of freight impacts and could help planners prioritize highway improvement projects.

• Record URL:
  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/08may/03.cfm
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586080
• Authors:
  • Strocko, Ed
• Publication Date: 2008-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 16-21
• Serial:
  • Public Roads
  • Volume: 71
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
  • ISSN: 0033-3735
  • Serial URL: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Economic models; Elasticity (Economics); Freight traffic; Freight transportation; Highway planning; Highway traffic; Highway transportation; Improvements; Transportation planning; Value of time
• Subject Areas: Economics; Freight Transportation; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01104500
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 17 2008 9:24AM