Citation

Stone TJ, Surti VH. Transp. Res. Rec. 1975; 540: 22-34.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1975, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A model for performing feasibility studies of pedestrian mall proposals is presented and demonstrated by application of the model to a case study. The model is based on the systems approach to solving large-scale decision problems. It is designed to determine which, if any, of a set of possible mall configurations is most feasible based on the results of a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. A direct benefit-to-cost ratio is calculated for each of the alternatives, which is based on only those direct costs and benefits (increased sales tax and property tax) that can be converted into dollars. If this direct benefit-to-cost ratio is greater than unity for any proposed alternative, then the model has provisions to modify this direct ratio based on the indirect factors that will affect the desirability of the project. The method that is presented is designed to evaluate factors such as noise, pollution, and effect on public transit. First, a summary of available background information on these factors and their relationship to malls is provided. Second, the evaluation problem is presented in a concise format that allows the decision maker to easily evaluate the indirect costs and benefits. This technique assigns a weighting factor to the various indirect costs and benefits and modifies the direct dollar costs and benefits as a result of these weighting factors. The case study was chosen to demonstrate the feasibility-study model with a real-world decision problem-the proposed 16th Street mall for the central business district of Denver. Two alternative mall configurations are compared according to the authors' value systems.

Language: en