CRITICAL EVALUATION OF AASHTO'S MANUAL ON USER BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF HIGHWAY AND BUS-TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS, 1977

Abstract

The changing nature of transportation systems and services puts a burden on decision makers. Decision makers are usually presented with alternative uses of scarce resources. To choose among transportation improvement alternatives properly, investment decisions should be based on a process that meets efficiency criteria. Over the last few decades, interest in such a process has generated extensive literature. A Manual On User Benefit Analysis of Highway and Bus-Transit Improvements is one in this series. The book is intended to help to determine whether the benefits from reduced highway and transit user costs (operating costs, fares, travel time values, and accident costs) exceed the highway or bus system costs required to produce the The manual presents a methodology and cost factors to estimate these system costs and user benefits. The methodology can be applied to most types of highway and bus-transit improvements. The technique and background information are significant contributions to the literature on economic analysis of transportation improvements. Although it assists in the selection of efficient transportation improvements, several factors reduce its practical utility for the average person involved in the early stages of transportation investment planning. This paper reviews the subject matter, stated purpose, and format of the manual. A summary critical evaluation of the manual is provided.