Ex-post evaluation of project efficiency and effectiveness within a Norwegian highway project

Abstract

The traditional view of transportation infrastructure projects’ success evaluation has been focused on efficient time and cost performance (i.e., operational success), but there is an increased interest in considering a broader perspective that evaluates whether the project has performed as promised with respect to project goals (i.e., tactical success). This study presents a two-level success evaluation of a Norwegian highway that examines project efficiency and effectiveness, i.e., operational and tactical success. The evaluation suggests that while the project experienced a large cost increase during the construction period, it performed operationally efficiently with 2.48% cost underrun. The project was also tactically successful in effectively achieving the predetermined goals of reducing traffic accidents, traffic congestion, and travel time through the project area. Considering both aspects of success provide a more holistic understanding of the project’s benefits, and this study contributes to further developing the overall understanding of project success evaluation through the case study.