Large Transport Infrastructure Projects Research Articles

Strategic Initiatives for Large Transport Infrastructure Planning: Reinforcing Sustainability in Urban Transportation through Better Stakeholder Engagement

An efficacious stakeholder engagement process is instrumental in achieving success in large transport infrastructure projects. This is due to the integral role of public stakeholders’ participation in the decision-making process. The purpose of this study is to explore the key components that are essential for an effective public stakeholder engagement process in large transport infrastructure projects. The paper entails an in-depth analysis of stakeholder management processes, large transport infrastructure complexities, and stakeholder engagement as a holistic framework. A mixed-methods approach is adopted, together with a comparative case study design utilizing various data from large transport infrastructure projects. The findings demonstrate that the engagement framework and objectives are the key components of large transport infrastructure planning. Moreover, such components are dependent upon the characteristics of public stakeholders and the project scope. These findings can assist transport planners in devising effective techniques for stakeholder engagement during the initiation of such projects.

The contributions of socio-environmental information maps in an environmental mobilisation: the case of a fight against a highway project in France

ABSTRACT Large linear transport infrastructure projects, such as highways connecting large metropolitan areas, are continuously under development in France. Although the economic and social benefits of such projects are often disputed, their impacts on the environment and local populations are multiple. These potential impacts almost systematically result in conflicts between decision-makers and planners on one side, and local actors with various profiles (e.g. farmers, residents, environmental associations) mobilised against the projects on the other. In the context of a citizen mobilisation against the A45 highway project in eastern France, this study aimed to analyse the social contributions of maps in terms of information reception. The study is based on the creation of maps representing combined spatial impacts (on mobility, housing, land, landscapes, agriculture, and ecosystems). These maps, created by researchers, were presented in the form of posters aimed at opening discussions with non-experts. The maps created an original medium for discussing and debating the impacts of a highway project through the participatory encounter. Under the lens of spatial and environmental justice, this study questions the discrepancies between who makes decisions on a project and who suffers its impacts, and also raises questions about the position of scientific research in citizen mobilisation.

Review of Management Comprehensiveness on Occupational Health and Safety for PPP Transportation Projects

Sustainability of large transport infrastructure projects is directly linked with the working conditions and procedures in construction and maintenance. Furthermore, safety is one of the most crucial performance indicators for transport infrastructure operators, dealing with management priorities, policies and measures closely related to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). This issue is extremely important especially for public private partnerships (PPP), extensively adopted in transport sector in many regions, where detailed contacts and OHS provisions should be considered. By a systemic analysis, this research identifies the key management factors influence safety performance in the PPP/concession projects and the management comprehensives over those factors. The survey analysis framework for the evaluation of OHS management performance for large transport operators are breakdown, promoting the structure and the expected outcomes toward sustainable management of transport infrastructure. The application is the Greek motorways concessions projects that implemented in the last decade. The research outputs provide key messages to planners, managers, decision makers, and stakeholders over large transport infrastructure sustainable development, promoting OHS performance aspects should be taken into consideration in operation management contacts and highlighting the link between OHS, level of safety, and sustainability. The case study structure and outputs are valuable for comparisons with similar cases, provide the framework for using in other places and/or cases and stimulate the interest for further research.

Attracting investment in the Far Eastern Federal District's transport infrastructure as a factor in ensuring the economic security of the region

Subject. This article deals with the issues of the Far Eastern Federal District's transport infrastructure. Objectives. The article aims to determine the importance of transport infrastructure in terms of the State of regional economic security and estimate the investment climate and the prospects of large transport infrastructure projects implementation. Methods. For the study, I used the formal-logical and expert assessment methods. Results. The article determines the position of the transport infrastructure in the system of economic security of the region considering the Far Eastern Federal District as a case study. It describes the particularities and prospects of attracting investment in large transport infrastructure projects. Conclusions. The advanced development of the Far Eastern Federal District is impossible without the implementation of major investment projects. It is necessary to attract private investment through the formation of a favorable investment climate and introduction of modern mechanisms of public-private partnership.

Regulating urban densification: what factors should be used?

<strong>Highlights</strong> Urban densification is increasingly accepted as a necessity and is important for no-net land take. Densification occurs in many places, especially fast-growing cities with a combination of demographic change, economic pressure and large transport infrastructure projects. The costs and benefits of density require a nuanced understanding: potential direct, indirect and cumulative effects (environmental, economic and social), both on- and off-site. The optimisation of densities implies a need to identify the conditions that can create the most value for the city, specify the places most appropriate for future inhabitants and activities, and promote spatial justice. The papers published in this special issue converge in depicting urban densification as a complex, nonlinear process, which has to be addressed at various scales. Multifactorial metrics of density are superior to aggregated ones because they offer a better understanding of the urban forms and how they are experienced by inhabitants and users. Both hard and soft densification have to be duly monitored and regulated if cities are to avoid overcrowding of places and buildings, which can be detrimental to urban resilience. The relation between urban densification and housing affordability is a critical factor that policymakers must address.

Transport corridors and their wider economic benefits: A quantitative review of the literature

AbstractTransport corridors can generate both wider economic benefits (WEBs) and costs through their effects on diverse development outcomes. To advance understanding of how corridors could generate WEBs, this paper undertakes a quantitative review and meta‐analysis of the literature that estimates the impacts of large transport infrastructure projects. The analysis finds that characteristics of individual studies and the design of the transport infrastructure influence estimated benefits. It also shows that, on average, while corridor interventions tend to benefit economic welfare and equity, they often detrimentally impact the environment. To mitigate trade‐offs, policymakers can consider using complementary interventions.

Attribute of the Effects Diversification to Eco-System from Large Investments in Supply Chain

In most of the cases the decision to invest in a new large transport infrastructure project t is not simple, mainly, because the complications in planning process, the amount of capital need to invest before the business establishment and the high number of stakeholders involved in decision process. The decision process is more complicated in restricted economic conditions and financing assumptions, where the project business plan performance is strongly related to regional development prospects and business sectors enlargement. This paper provides an attribute methodology approach to support decisions in large transport infrastructure projects based on the effects diversification to ecosystem affected by the new projects. The proposed methodology provides an evaluation framework based on a combination of an ex-ante assessment analysis taking into consideration the large transport infrastructure projects economic impact and its contribution to enlargement of the sectors of the ecosystem.

A crack in the Swedish welfare façade? A review of assessing social impacts in transport infrastructure planning

A comparison of social impact categorisation in strategic planning across European Union Member States shows that Sweden neither categorises nor breaks down categories of social impact in areas such as transport infrastructure development. This is surprising because Sweden is known as a country concerned about social issues and having a high standard of welfare. This article accordingly studies how social issues are handled during transport infrastructure planning. An analysis of different source materials will answer four research questions: 1) To what extent are social impacts integrated into environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports? 2) Are social impacts sufficiently integrated and/or does this treatment simply amount to ‘good practice’? 3) Can any trend be detected over time in terms of addressing social issues in impact assessments? 4) What key measures could increase the influence of social impact issues on transport infrastructure planning practice? The study involved a content analysis of six EIA handbooks and EIA statements (EISs) for 18 large transport infrastructure projects. The concepts searched for in these documents largely apply to issues of vulnerability, health, social problems, perceived safety, and alienation. Our data were interpreted through the theoretical lens of institutional interplay. We found that though social aspects are not new considerations in EIA research, they are included in only a small proportion of the 18 Swedish EISs, mostly in connection with health and accessibility. We believe that this does not suffice. We also found that the more recent documents allotted less space to social issues. It is unlikely that most individuals in the organisations that order EISs, or the consultancies that write them, are unaware of the broader interpretation of ‘human beings’ which includes social aspects. Based on increasing interest in social issues in planning and due to the lack of national goals and guidelines in this area, some municipalities and consultants have begun to create their own methods of measuring and assessing social impacts. This has resulted in multiple local-level practitioners who want to develop social issues within impact assessment, and possibly also to introduce a social impact assessment framework, but with no management or coordination among them. The conclusion is that in the absence of a government initiative to clarify how social impacts can be addressed in transport infrastructure planning, there is a need for an external network for organisations involved in transport infrastructure EISs.

Policy on Sustainable Transport in England: The Case of High Speed 2

The achievement of sustainable transport is often a clearly stated objective of government policy, but in England there is no National Sustainable Transport Strategy (NSTS). This paper outlines the nature of sustainable transport arguing for a strategic approach that takes account of the means to reduce travel through substitution and shorter trips, as well as making best use of all modes and reducing reliance on carbon-based energy sources. It reviews the recent austerity phase of UK transport policy (2010-2015) where revenue support has been cut, but capital expenditure has increased, and it comments on the difficulties of making decisions on large scale transport infrastructure projects in the absence of a NSTS. The recent policy statements and initiatives on transport and sustainability are covered, looking backwards and forwards. It then takes the case of High Speed 2 (HS2) and identifies five main narratives in the debates over the arguments in support of this huge investment. It seems that sustainable transport has not been a central part of that debate, and there is a need to reframe the discussion on HS2, as part of a NSTS.

Project characteristics and performance in Europe: An empirical analysis for large transport infrastructure projects

Infrastructure megaprojects are historically associated with poor delivery, both in terms of cost and schedule performance. Large Transport Infrastructure Projects (TIPs) are amongst the most controversial and are often delivered late, over budget, and providing less benefit than expected. While there is a growing theoretical body of literature addressing TIPs, empirical research is still required to determine which TIPs characteristics affect TIPs schedule & cost performance. This paper addresses this issue, applying an empirically-based methodology to a dataset of 30 European TIPs. The results highlight the importance of financial support from the government and the strong influence of both external and internal stakeholders, mainly in relation to their early engagement and to their nationality. Technological characteristics and the presence of Special Purpose Entities are also correlated with the TIPs performance. These key findings both support and contradict the literature, and are relevant for both policy makers and project managers during the decision-making process, planning and delivery of TIPs.

Evaluating Proposed Transportation Infrastructure Projects in Metro Manila Using the Transport Co-Benefit Analysis

Several large scale transportation infrastructure projects have been proposed, with several already under construction, in Metro Manila by the current Administration such as the elevated expressway above the PNR line also known as the NLEx-SLEx connector, the NAIA expressway, the CALA and Lakeshore expressway projects as well as the proposed light rail transit (LRT) line 1 South Extension, bus rapid transit (BRT) lines, subway, among others. Some of these transportation infrastructure projects are for possible Public-Private Partnership (PPP) funding. Aside from the National Government's proposals, several private groups have also proposed transportation infrastructure projects in Metro Manila. This research analyzed and evaluated the impact of these proposed transport infrastructure projects on urban travel using the Transport Co-Benefit Analysis as developed by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). This research provides a macroscopic analysis regarding which proposed infrastructure projects would be beneficial to the people of Metro Manila.

How Satisfaction Is Achieved in the Implementation Phase of Large Transportation Infrastructure Projects

In the implementation phase of transportation infrastructure projects, unplanned events will inevitably occur. Although this is increasingly acknowledged, little systematic research has been conducted into what management strategies are best for dealing with these unplanned events. This article investigates how managers respond to unplanned events that occur in the context of a project during implementation, and which management responses produce satisfactory outcomes. To evaluate what strategies work in what contexts, we introduce multi-value Qualitative Comparative Analysis (mvQCA) and apply it to the Dutch A2 Maastricht transportation infrastructure project (the Netherlands). We produced systematic evidence that (a) internally oriented private management is associated with low satisfaction; (b) externally oriented management is associated with high satisfaction in responding to social, local unplanned events; and (c) that internally oriented management is associated with high satisfaction, depending in particular on the nature of the cooperation between principal and contractor in the project.

A methodology for evaluating environmental co-benefits in the transport sector: application to the Delhi metro

This paper presents a methodology to measure the environmental co-benefits of transport initiatives, defined here as carbon emissions in conjunction with local air pollution. An evaluation tool was developed and then tested on the case of the Delhi metro. The metro is an extensive rail project spanning the Indian capital, which is also the world's first rail based Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project. However, it has also been a flashpoint in urban policy-making in the city in recent years. This analysis identifies the co-benefits based on the current situation as well potential co-benefits based on increased ridership and altering mode share contributions. The paper then discusses the challenges faced in the quantification process and the practical implications of achieving increased co-benefits. The paper highlights issues of data quality as well as data access, whilst identifying that factors peripheral to the project itself can have a critical effect in achieving co-benefits from large scale transport infrastructure projects in developing countries.

The rise and fall of Public–Private Partnerships in China: a path-dependent approach

Due to growing traffic demand, enormous investment requirements and high fiscal pressures, China has witnessed a reshaping of financing policies in large transport infrastructure projects from public financing to Public–Private Partnerships. As a result, the provision of transport infrastructure services in China has been steadily moving from the realm of government to that of private sector. In the same period, governments at the central and regional levels were actively engaged in this institutional transition by devising corresponding policies and enacting new laws and regulations. However, in late 2009 it became clear to the authors of this article that there has been a tendency of rolling back private participation in transport infrastructure and service because of various forms of opportunistic behavior on the part of some private players and malpractices among some governmental officials in their interaction with private players, and in relatively recent a number of large transport projects have been granted to state-owned enterprises. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to analyze and explain the processes of rise and fall of Public–Private Partnership in China. We argue that the adoption of Public–Private Partnership in China is a path-dependent process rather than some economic optimum advocated by a variety of international organizations. Specifics of wider Chinese political, cultural and institutional context are recognized as important factors that influence the performance of Public–Private Partnership. Effects of decisions made under transitory conditions can persist long after those conditions have vanished. In addition, these historical legacies are important in understanding contemporary use of Public–Private Partnership in China, and they are also the origins from which the sub-optimal statuses are often led.

Editorial - Large Transport Infrastructure Projects: Improving Institutions and Decision Making

In recent years the subject of decision making on large transport infrastructure projects and related institutional issues have received much attention in the academic and professional literature, partly triggered by the book Megaprojects and Risk (Flyvbjerg et al., 2003). This book shows that for large infrastructure projects cost overruns and demand shortfalls are very common, and that institutional factors play an important role in this being the case. Recent academic contributions include special issues in Environment and Planning B (2007) and Transportation Planning and Technology (2007) and the book ‘Decision-making on mega projects. Costbenefit analysis, planning and innovation ‘ (Priemus et al., 2008).

Assessment of large transport infrastructure projects: The CBA-DK model

This paper presents a newly developed decision support model to assess transport infrastructure projects: CBA-DK. The model combines use of conventional cost–benefit analysis to produce aggregated single point estimates, with quantitative risk analysis using Monte Carlo simulation to produce interval results. The embedded uncertainties within traditional CBA such as ex-ante based investment costs and travel time savings are of particular concern. The paper investigates these two impacts in terms of the Optimism Bias principle which is used to take account of the underestimation of construction costs and the overestimation of travel time savings. The CBA-DK methodological approach has been used to apply suitable probability distribution functions on the uncertain parameters, thus resulting in feasibility risk assessment moving from point to interval results. The proposed assessment model makes use of both deterministic and stochastic based information. Decision support as illustrated in this paper aims to provide assistance in the development and ultimately the choice of action, while accounting for the uncertainties surrounding transport appraisal schemes. The modelling framework is illustrated by the use of a case study appraising airport and runway alternatives in the capital of Greenland – Nuuk. The case study has been conducted in cooperation with the Home Rule Authorities of Greenland.

An economic evaluation model for concession on convention infrastructure projects in Greece

Scientific management of projects constitutes an area of expertise in the field of engineering that requires a combination of various skills from different scientific sectors in order for it to get efficient and complete. The need for construction of numerous and large scale transport infrastructure projects in later years led the engineering sector, and primarily major construction corporations, as well as the public sector to carry out viability and evaluation studies for all major transportation infrastructure investment. This need was amplified when numerous infrastructure projects previously funded exclusively by the public sector and European Union’s grants started to get funded by the private sector and constructed with the concession-on-convention method. The present essay intends to develop a mathematical model for retrieving the economic and technical parameters that are involved in such a concession-on-convention project and especially for the examination of its viability and its return-on-equity.

From Nobel Prize to Project Management: Getting Risks Right

A major source of risk in project management is inaccurate forecasts of project costs, demand, and other impacts. The paper presents a promising new approach to mitigating such risk based on theories of decision-making under uncertainty, which won the 2002 Nobel Prize in economics. First, the paper documents inaccuracy and risk in project management. Second, it explains inaccuracy in terms of optimism bias and strategic misrepresentation. Third, the theoretical basis is presented for a promising new method called “reference class forecasting,” which achieves accuracy by basing forecasts on actual performance in a reference class of comparable projects and thereby bypassing both optimism bias and strategic misrepresentation. Fourth, the paper presents the first instance of practical reference class forecasting, which concerns cost forecasts for large transportation infrastructure projects. Finally, potentials for and barriers to reference class forecasting are assessed.

Modelling decision support and uncertainty for large transport infrastructure projects: The CLG-DSS model of the Øresund Fixed Link

This paper presents a decision support system, named the CLG-DSS model, which makes it possible for decision makers to assess various uncertainties in project appraisal in a systematic and explicit way. This model, a decision support system (DSS) developed within the Danish Centre for Logistics and Freight Transport (CLG) is based on cost-benefit analysis (CBA) embedded in a wider multi-criteria analysis (MCA) by the use of some principles for composite modelling assessment (COSIMA). The CLG-DSS model is set up to make use of scenario analysis (SA) and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). A particular concern in the model is the handling of varying information across the assessment criteria and the application of SA to inform the MCS parameter setting. After the presentation of the modelling principles some ex-post case calculations for the Øresund Fixed Link are illuminating different aspects of appraisal uncertainty and thereby, at the same time, demonstrate the features of the CLG-DSS model as a useful decision support tool. It is finally concluded that appraisal of large infrastructure projects can be effectively supported by dealing with uncertainty issues in accordance with the principles described.

Trans-European transport networks influence on the regional development and urban systems: Serbian experience

The trans-European transport network has different effects at macro regional mezzo-regional and micro-regional level, and its effectiveness rises with the lower regional levels. Possible approaches to the trans-European transport network impact and effect survey and policy options have been pointed out. The importance of increased accessibility and mobility for regional expansion and for a more balanced and polycentric system of city networks has been underlined. Changes in the spatial organization utilization and structure of cities, as well as in social benefits and losses subsequent to impacts of trans-European transport corridor "X" section Belgrade-Nis have been analyzed. The new trans-European or major transport infrastructure does not per se create regional and urban system network development, although it can affect the conditions for the processes that create growth and development. The effects can be increased by co-ordination of measures of regional, spatial and urban policy, land use transport, environmental and other policies. The necessary measure is the introduction of spatial impact assessment as sartorial policy instrument for the large transport infrastructure plans and projects.