Research Project:

Identification and Development of User Requirements to Support Robust Corridor Investment Models

Final Report

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Principal Investigator

Kathleen Trauth
University of Missouri - Columbia
(573) 882-5843
trauthk@missouri.edu

External Project Contact

Dave Plazak
Iowa State University
(515) 296-0814
dplazak@iastate.edu

Project Objective

To determine what economic information is required, and integrate existing modeling, high-resolution remote sensing, and geographic information systems toward a conceptual framework to measure costs and benefits (monetary and non-monetary) for highway corridor investments.

Project Abstract

The purpose of the project was to develop useable techniques to integrate a broader range of potential impacts of transportation investments into transportation planning and decision-making. The research project described in this report developed a multi-attribute framework that can be used to assist in organizing and synthesizing information to measure costs and benefits, both monetary and non-monetary, of highway corridor investments.

A modular approach was taken to developing individual techniques to quantify the potential impacts that could be utilized within the framework. The framework is flexible enough to accommodate the incorporation of additional techniques over time. To determine the range of potential impacts to consider, the values and needs of various stakeholders in highway corridors were taken into account and incorporated into variables, or indicators, to be used in a comprehensive system for evaluating impacts, costs, and benefits.

Example techniques include a consideration and demonstration of the utility of geographic information systems (GIS) to organize data for use with the hedonic land valuation method. A prediction map was generated from this process, indicating the price consumers are willing to pay for a house in relation to its location with respect to highway corridors. This information is useful in analyzing the impact of competing corridor alternatives.

In order to measure other indicators, the project also assessed the utility of highresolution satellite remote sensing (RS) image data to provide highly accurate inputs necessary for economic models and as a means of measuring success after investments have been made. A methodology was developed to identify commercial and industrial origins and destinations from impervious surfaces. This, in turn, was translated into a calculation of average travel distances that could be used to quantify accessibility impacts associated with corridor alternatives.

Remote sensing and GIS were assessed because of the spatial nature of transportation investments and their potential as a measuring tool for the transportation indicators. This multi-attribute framework is consistent with the Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT’s) overall planning direction of including the perspectives of more individuals/groups and potential impacts in decision making. This overall planning direction is seen in the Planning Framework and the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

Task Descriptions

Meet with major stakeholders; identify responsibilities, decisions, and information required.
Conduct literature review.
Identify state-of-the-arts in transportation investment assessment modeling.
Review assessment methodologies in other states.
Develop conceptual framework for incorporating decision-making requirements into a coherent method of analysis.
Assess three most frequently used assessment models.
Recommend development and/or adoption of transportation investment assessment system in Missouri and Consortium states.
Assess high-resolution remote sensing data for investment assessment models.
Assess utility of GIS to organize and report source data to inform decision-makers.

Milestones, Dates

Project start: July 2001
Literature Review: September 2001
Focus Groups: October 2001
1st Report: February 2001
Review Other States: November 2001
Develop Framework: April 2002
2nd Report: May 2002
Remote Sensing: July 2002
GIS: July 2002
Assessment: August 2002
Final Report: December 2002
Project end: December 2002

Student Involvement (e.g., Thesis, Assistantships, Paid Employment)

(1) Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistant; Ag Economics
(2) M.S. Graduate Research Assistant; Engineering
(1) M.S. Graduate Research Assistant; Ag Economics

Relationship to Other Projects

The project entails components of both "demand-side" and "supply-side" relevance. It investigates what decision-making requirements are relevant and useful for corridor investments, and correlates them to existing capabilities in economic modeling, remote sensing, and geographic information systems. The resulting conceptual framework will provide focus and insight relative to integrating informational requirements with existing data sources, and will provide a platform for guiding further development of asset management techniques as additional data capabilities evolve.

Technology Transfer Activities

Distribution of the findings to stakeholders involved in the study, publication and presentation at professional conferences, and possible video presentation to consortium members.

Potential Benefits of the Project

The project will yield:

A matrix of informational requirements of major transportation stakeholders relative to highway corridor investments.
A conceptual framework for evaluating costs and benefits.
Evaluation of the most commonly used transportation assessment models.
Recommendations for measuring costs and benefits of transportation investments.
Discussion of the implications on the collection of data (what should be measured, etc.)
Assessment of the applicability of using remote sensing and GIS to collect/organize data.

Budget

$143,878

TRB Keywords

Economic analysis, data requirements, asset management, decision support