Citation

Bajpai JN. J. Indian Roads Cong. 2019; 80(1): 44-58.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Indian Roads Congress, Publisher M.K. Chatterjee)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

In recent decades the traditional cost-benefit analysis (CBA) for appraising and prioritizing urban transport investments have come under criticism for their excessive focus on the efficiency of moving vehicles and concerns about congestion while lacking focus on in reducing prevailing socio-economic inequities. At the same time decision makers and the public are increasingly interested in understanding how a publically sponsored transport project will help create jobs, reduce prevailing socio- economic inequities, and enhance environmental quality.

Consequently, the context of project appraisal is changing across the world (Grant-Muller, 2001). This paper makes an attempt to clarify why traditional appraisal methods are inadequate in this regard, what has been done in recent years to fill that gap, and how to move forward.


Under the CBA approach the broader concept of accessibility, a measure of ease with which opportunities and activities can be reached, is only indirectly captured. As a result, project appraisal fails to adequately examine the critical linkage between land use and transport, lacks realization of potential agglomeration economies, and overlooks spatial inequity concerns. In other words, an appraisal fails to evaluate and address the fundamental social meaning of transportation (Martens, 2012).


This paper addresses this evaluation gap based on a review of the traditional appraisal methodologies, their limitations and various initiatives undertaken by the UK, US and some of the developing countries. The paper does not cover other aspects of evaluation such as environmental concerns. Rather, it focuses on emerging approaches and identifies critical areas for further research.

Language: en