Transport Infrastructure Projects Research Articles

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.

Changing Realities: China-Africa Infrastructure Development

Changing Realities:China-Africa Infrastructure Development Mandira Bagwandeen (bio) Through an extensive portfolio of infrastructure investments, China has played a crucial role in helping Africa reduce deficits in its infrastructure. Over the past decade and a half, Chinese state-owned or state-aligned construction and engineering companies have strategically entered African markets with assistance from the Chinese government. Under China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese companies took on mega-infrastructure projects, especially in the energy and transport sectors, that could aid African countries with achieving higher levels of development. However, these mega-BRI projects came with hefty price tags that have contributed to compounding the debt stress of several African nations. In this regard, many international (and especially Western) actors have accused China of predatory lending practices and debt-trap diplomacy. This narrative has been further amplified amid the Covid-19 pandemic, which has had significant ramifications for BRI projects in Africa and around the world. The pandemic has created some doubt about whether Chinese-funded and–built infrastructure projects can be completed and, more importantly, whether African states have the fiscal capacity to repay these development loans. With reduced revenues available to African governments, the risk of defaulting on loan repayments is high. Moreover, because of the burden of loan repayments, African states are handicapped in their response measures to Covid-19 and its economic consequences. The Eighth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in November 2021 demonstrated that due to changing realities—including China's domestic economic concerns, U.S.-China trade tensions, the global economic impact of Covid-19, and Africa's pandemic-induced debt stress—Beijing seems to have realized that it cannot continue to be Africa's go-to bank for financing infrastructure development. This essay outlines that China may not be as willing as it was in past years to finance infrastructure development projects in Africa. It explores the impact of Covid-19 on the development of BRI infrastructure projects in Africa and briefly assesses the validity of the debt-trap and predatory lending accusations leveled against China. Additionally, the essay addresses [End Page 18] the Eighth FOCAC summit, which indicated that China is likely to reduce its focus on development financing for hard infrastructure in its cooperation with African countries. China's Belt and Road Infrastructure in Africa and Covid-19 As of 2019, China was the single-largest source of finance for African infrastructure, having "finance[d] one in five projects and construct[ed] one in three."1 Although the continent's enormous infrastructural investment gap cannot solely be met by Chinese financing, Beijing's role in contributing to the development of the region's infrastructure has been crucial. The China-Africa infrastructure partnership was strengthened under the impetus of BRI, which was introduced in 2013. The initiative closely centers on the Chinese proverb that "if you want to get rich, build a road first" and the argument that "infrastructure investments presuppose economic growth and enhance quality of life."2 This logic is particularly appealing to African states that are desperate to reduce their deficits in infrastructure. Several African scholars have opined that BRI could play a critical role in Africa's industrialization and infrastructure development through the building of synergies between Agenda 2063, the pan-African development plan of the African Union (AU), and BRI.3 Even individual African leaders and the AU welcomed China's infrastructural drive on the continent motivated by BRI. In January 2015, China and the AU signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on developing major transport infrastructure networks (high-speed railways, aviation, and highways) and industrialization infrastructure. With the ambition to connect all 54 African states through transport infrastructure projects, this memorandum complements and aligns with Agenda 2063, which in turn aims to accelerate continental integration through the development of transport infrastructure and industrialization. Massive national and regional projects worth billions of dollars, mostly in the transport and [End Page 19] energy sectors, began to pop up across the continent. As of April 2019, China had BRI projects in 42 different African countries,4 and by January 2021 a total of 46 out of 54 African countries had signed on to become official...

FORECASTING EFEK PEMBANGUNAN DRY PORT TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN PRODUK DOMESTIK REGIONAL BRUTO: STUDI KASUS SULAWESI SELATAN

The economic feasibility of a project is typically measured by the increase in the value of GRDP achieved as a result of the project's generation effect. Especially in the case of transportation infrastructure projects involving a large amount of goods movement or logistics. This is closely related to an increase in a region's economic activity. Ease of access, as well as the availability of adequate transportation and infrastructure, can reduce logistics costs and thus lower the price of goods in circulation. As a result, the effect of dry port development in Sidrap and Jeneponto Regencies, South Sulawesi, on regional economic growth is projected in this article. Forecasting economic growth is based on and refers to the increase in the existing GRDP value as a result of the Dry Port construction. Knowing the impact of development on GRDP allows the project's economic feasibility to be tested and considered in the future. In this case, the Dry Port construction in two sites is feasible based on the GRDP growth.

Measuring the impact of heavy rail transport infrastructure on house prices in Melbourne, Australia: a case study of Mernda rail extension project

PurposeThe research examines the impact of heavy rail transport infrastructure on residential property prices in Melbourne at different stages of project development using the Mernda Rail Extension Project as a case study.Design/methodology/approachA difference-in-difference approach is used to quantitatively measure the magnitude of change in the house price at different stages of rail transport infrastructure project development.FindingsWhen controlling for a range of structural, neighbourhood, and locational attributes, the authors find that properties within 800 m from the proposed train station are 8.7% higher in value than those outside 800 m (but within 1,600 m). However, during the project's construction, the project's benefits in the form of house price appreciation are not fully realised. “Unrealised benefit” is attributed to the negative externalities of construction works and apprehensions associated with the project's shelving and time delays.Research limitations/implicationsDepending on the availability of data on residential property transactions in the future, a spatial analysis of rail infrastructure's radius of catchment effect is needed.Practical implicationsFindings from this research are beneficial for policymakers concerned with transport and land use planning, property valuation for taxation and mortgage purposes.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the knowledge of the impact of the rail project on house prices in Melbourne. While there are earlier studies on the topic, there is limited understanding of this prime Australian city attractive to domestic and foreign investors.

Economic impact of road transportation infrastructure projects: the case of Egnatia Odos Motorway

ABSTRACT Non-cyclical and high-leverage infrastructure projects, such as road transportation networks, have been considered as critical policy instruments to promote growth and social development. Yet, their growth-generating effect on the economic welfare of countries and regions has come under scrutiny in recent years: several studies have nuanced the implicit positive associations between investments in transportation and economic benefits. Building upon a set of traffic flow characteristics as potential correlates to the regional development indicator, this research focuses on the economic impacts of Egnatia Odos Motorway (EOM) on Greece's Northern region. To specify, by employing a large-scale longitudinal dataset which includes over 230 million entry records of various vehicle types along EOM, generated from toll collection systems between 2010 and 2019, we investigate the associations between traffic data and potential variations in regional GDP per capita annual growth rate. Our results suggest positive associations between regional economic development and the EOM operation and, more specifically, with passengers' transportation and inland freight. We conclude that transportation big data provide essential input for the appraisal of a road transport investment project, reveal the status of regional welfare, and may contain valuable information for spatial management and planning.

Prevention Cost Components Priorities for Urban Rail Infrastructure Projects

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) have been establishedas the largest transport infrastructure projects in Malaysia and cost over RM40 billion. Due to the vigorous development of both projects, accidents at project sites have causedfatalities, serious injuries,and damage to properties. Many accidents haveoccurred during the operation of rail. In Malaysia, the latest rail accident occurred on 24thMay 2021had injured200 people when two coaches onthe Kelana Jaya LRT line collidedin the capital Kuala Lumpur. Railaccidents create significant economic impacts on the country, stakeholders,and society. Studies on the prevention costs during the pre-construction stage of a project are scarceand have mainly focused on the financial losses or accident costs incurred by the contractor and victim.Amongthe limitations of the existing safety and health cost models is that they do not include the costs incurred by the client for the safety prevention activities. Therefore, this research aims to study the types of prevention cost components that must be the priorities for urban rail infrastructureprojects. The data analysed in this study wasobtained from a total of eight (8) projects involved in the MRT 1 (SBK Line) and ten (10) projects involved in the MRT 2 (SPP Line). The prevention cost components priorities were determined by the coefficient of variation (CV) percentage. The finding shows ten (10) prevention cost components,and nineteen (19) prevention cost items wereallocatedduring the pre-construction phase. The cost components werethe Plant Costs, OSH Management Costs, Housekeeping Costs, Special Work Condition Costs, Evaluation and Monitoring Costs, Emergency Response Costs, Electrical Work Costs, PPE and Training Costs, Facilities on Site Costs, and Insurance Costs. This study finds out that all these prevention cost components are important to prevent accidents for the employees when carrying out work on-site. Therefore,clientsshould considerthe availability of these cost componentsin the planning and preparation phasesof an urban rail infrastructure project.Thus, the most logical amount of prevention cost components can be achieved in the future project and creating the awareness of these costs to the clients.

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.

The impact of high speed railway on government expenditure on poverty alleviation in China —Evidence from Chinese poverty counties

In this paper, we evaluate the role of the high speed railway (HSR) project, one of the largest transportation infrastructure projects in the world, in poverty alleviation in China. This study combines county-level data from the China County Statistical Yearbooks with HSR data from the China Railway Yearbooks. The method of difference-in-differences is applied to examine the HSR connection effect on government expenditure in poverty alleviation across Chinese poverty counties over the period of 2010-2018. The results show that the HSR connection has a significantly positive impact on reducing government expenditure in poverty alleviation. Our results, which are based on alternative measurement of poverty alleviation and possible bias arising from endogeneity issue, are robust. This paper highlights that HSR can help achieve accessibility of rural area and poverty alleviation simultaneously. An understanding of the effect is critical for policymakers to promote intra-regional development, balancing efficiency and regional equality.

Impacts of Determining Economic Life of Large-Scale Infrastructure Projects on Their Economic Effectiveness

The paper deals with the refinement of the Cost-Benefit Analysis methodological procedure for the assessment of the economic effectiveness of large-scale transport infrastructure projects. The basic input is economic Cash Flow which consists of investment costs, operating income, operating expenses, societal benefits, and harms as well as the investment residual value. According to the methodological guidelines, the currently evaluated project period is considered to be 30 years including the investment phase starting in the first year of the construction, the relevant part of the operational phase, and the residual value of the project in the last year of the assessed period. The evaluation of the economic effectiveness of projects is largely influenced by the determination of the construction economic life. A procedure for calculating the residual value of the project while respecting the gradual implementation of partial constructions was established as part of the research. A case study based on the research sample of several investment construction projects of the highway sections in the Czech Republic demonstrates how this methodological procedure affects the economic effectiveness of the project.

Is Resilient Transportation Infrastructure Low-Carbon? Evidence from High-Speed Railway Projects in China.

Establishing resilient transport infrastructure is an effective way for cities to deal with external disturbances and uncertainties during rapid urbanization. However, human society is presently facing a series of sustainable development obstacles, where the energy shortage and environmental pollution are catching significant concerns. Hence, it is imperative to investigate the carbon emission of the growing number of resilient transportation infrastructure (RTI) projects. Through extracting the carbon emission factor (CEF), this study built the carbon emission measurement model (CEMM) to evaluate the carbon emission of 26 resilient high-speed railway construction projects in China. The results indicated that the carbon emissions of the entire high-speed railway infrastructure projects in China show regional and social environmental differences. Meanwhile, there are potential correlations and positive relationships between the resilience of the high-speed railway infrastructure projects and their carbon emission. Suggestions and recommendations for governments and construction enterprises are put forward to further improve the resilient and low-carbon development of transportation infrastructure in China.

Computation of pull-out resistance of pressure-grouted soil nails in sand using cavity expansion and contraction solutions

ABSTRACT Pressure-grouted soil nailing has been extensively used as a soil stabilization technique in transportation infrastructure projects, wherein resistance against pull-out failure is offered by shear resistance mobilized along the nail–soil interface. However, the different stages of soil nail installation significantly alter the soil properties and residual normal stress at the grout-soil interface and thereby the maximum pull-out shear stress. This article presents a computational procedure to predict the maximum pull-out shear stress of pressure-grouted soil nails in sand, incorporating the variation in soil properties and stresses throughout the installation processes and loading. The procedure is formulated within the framework of cavity expansion-contraction solutions as the entire installation and testing phases resemble either expansion or contraction of a cylindrical cavity. The proposed approach was validated using grouting and pull-out test data of soil nails in sand. The influence of various parameters on pull-out shear stress has also been examined.

The System Dynamics Analysis of Cost Overrun Causations in UK Rail Projects in a COVID-19 Epidemic Era

Cost overrun is a global issue plaguing transportation infrastructure projects, and the rail industry in the United Kingdom is not exempted. This industry plays a significant role in stimulating the country’s economic development and growth in the United Kingdom (UK). Understanding the factors contributing to cost overruns in rail projects is viable to sustain its contribution, especially in the COVID-19 epidemic era. This study analyzed and predicted the impact of cost overruns on rail projects in the UK in a COVID-19 pandemic era through a sparse network and system dynamics approach. It leverages a review of existing literature and perceptions of 80 construction professionals purposively to establish the factors affecting cost overruns affecting the UK rail construction sector. Findings reveal a web of causations that highlights labor productivity, delay in the supply of construction materials and equipment, and access to the site as fundamental predictors of cost overruns during a COVID-19 pandemic era. The resulting findings are beneficial to assist project managers with the needed awareness to strategically plan and mitigate the potential rise in cost overruns of rail projects in the UK during the pandemic.

Public Transportation Infrastructure Projects and Financial Risks

Public Transportation Infrastructure Projects and Financial Risks

Investigation and Prioritization of Railway Reconstruction Projects by Using Analytic Hierarchy Process Approach Case Study: Kerman and Southeastern Areas in Iranian Railways

Transportation development is one of the important goals of countries which is associated with economic and social development. Therefore, expanding the transportation infrastructure and construction has always been a key issue for managers in developed and developing countries. Due to the high costs of infrastructure projects in the transportation industry, especially railways as the safest and the most cost-effective mode of transportation, the financial resources must be managed with great sensitivity and precision. In current economic conditions, various methods have been proposed for decision-making in transportation infrastructure projects and prioritization of railway reconstruction projects. In this research, different decision models to prioritize transportation infrastructure projects are reviewed and according to the selected AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) model, railway reconstruction projects in Iranian railway networks are prioritized. In this regard, first, reconstruction projects have been reviewed from a technical and economic point of view, and then prioritization has been done according to the weight of effective criteria in the projects. In this study, important criteria for prioritization in terms of importance are considered as: Cost of Reconstruction, Train Speed Restriction, Allowable Speed, Railway Capacity, Traffic, Time, and Railway Track Quality. The effect of cost of reconstruction criterion is about 12 times greater than the time criterion and the output of the model showed that Jalalabad-Golezard block is the first priority for reconstruction in the area of Kerman and Southeastern in Iranian Railways.

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.

Operationalizing resilience practices in transportation infrastructure planning and project development

The objective of this paper is to examine practices for incorporating resilience by transportation agencies. This paper presents findings from state-wide interviews and survey of personnel in transportation organizations throughout Texas. This study is focused on resilience planning and practices (not emergency management and evacuation planning). The research examines the state of resilience incorporation in transportation project planning and development. Our analysis reveals the gap between resilience research and engineering practice and highlights the need for innovative and practical methods, processes, and information for resilience integration. The findings suggest that while there are a few available frameworks for incorporating resilience, the implementation of these tools varies significantly in different districts and organizations. Elements needed to facilitate consideration of resilience in transportation planning and project development include proper policy and procedures, adequate funding and financing, knowledgeable staff, within- and cross-organization coordination, and proper tools, metrics, and data. This research helps facilitate prioritization and strategic improvement of efforts for resilience integration in transportation planning and project development.

Examining the socioeconomic outcomes of transport interventions in the Global South

This paper addresses a recurrent distributive issue of transport interventions and aims to develop a framework of an impact evaluation of transport projects particularly tailored to the Brazilian context. The methodology draws upon the literature to employ a quasi-experimental approach performed by means of a difference in difference matching (DIDM) technique.This technique is then applied to a case study in Northeast Brazil, in which the social impacts of a large transport project are analysed. Whilst many transport infrastructure projects have been advertised as key investments to promote regional economic growth, the results show that positive socioeconomic effects arising from these investments may not be captured by the least advantage groups of society. Findings subscribe to the view that transport infrastructure investments broadly contribute to the reduction of multidimensional poverty. This conclusion is particularly illustrated in this case study by the greater positive impacts in eleven socioeconomic indicators of the municipalities on the region of this transport project.

Inclusion and exclusion of environmental aspects in early-stage planning of transport infrastructure projects: A Swedish case study

Sustainable development of the transport system increasingly requires integration of land-use and transport planning practices. To identify and implement measures that maximize synergies between transport, land-use and environmental issues are essential to achieve sustainable outcomes of transport planning. The strategic choice of measures (SCM) approach, applied in early-stage planning of transport infrastructure projects in Sweden, constitutes a platform for collaboration between transport and land-use authorities for better coordination of the different practices in a specific context. This paper aims to analyze SCM processes from a systems perspective to illuminate consequences of system boundaries on how environmental aspects are considered and what aspects are included or excluded. A case study approach is applied, based on observations and document studies of two cases in Stockholm region. The result shows that coordination of transport and land-use planning practice in the SCM process, implies handling of conflicting views of development in the project area. In order to create shared objectives and visions, constructive dialogue and collaboration are two key features. Moreover, it is a challenge to handle all the different problems and measures in the SCM. It is essential to understand synergies as well as how problems and measures in different planning processes relate to each other. A systems perspective as a support when analyzing problems in an SCM can enable the detection of links between transport, land-use and environmental problems. The systems perspective could contribute to the identification of measures with synergetic effects and subsequently the implementation of multi-functional solutions.

A socio-economic study for establishing an environment-friendly metro in Kuwait

Purpose This paper aimed to study the optimal way to implement and subsequently manage the new metropolitan lines in the Kuwait city as well as to justify them from a social and economic-financial viability standpoint and the most important aspects of transport infrastructure projects viability. The implementation of new modes of transport in an urban environment requires the study of several factors that allow their incorporation on the transport system in the most efficient method. These factors include reviewing the organization of the transport system. The concept of transport system organization, financing models and common trends was defined. Finally, the Public Transport Authority was created to define global objectives and establish specific policies to achieve them was suggested.Design/methodology/approach After the analysis of the “status quo” of transport systems organization, the financing and management schemes, both infrastructure projects and the provision of rail service were analysed. The characteristics of the PPP scheme (Public–Private Participation) contract, advantages and disadvantages, its structure, and the definition and share of risk (matrix of risk, rights and obligations of the parties) as a key element of the PPP contracts were defined. From this point onwards, the legal framework in force in Kuwait was analysed, particularly the administrative and commercial regulations applying to this project and the authors verified that the economic-financial viability analysis suggested before can be established under this framework.Findings For the viability of these alternatives, the authors developed a simulation economic-financial model that reflects Financial Statements for the “Society Vehicle Project” and are considered some minimum thresholds of profitability, both from the viewpoint of the partners sponsoring the project as from the standpoint of lenders, which make attractive participation of private initiative. Finally, there was a short socio-economic analysis to justify the project implementation from a social standpoint. It analyses and quantifies the reduction of operating expenses of other modes of transport, travelling times, accident rates, environmental pollution etc. All these factors affect the quality of life of the population of Kuwait and are the main reason to carry out this project. Several recommendations were raised that aimed at preparing the projects, bidding and selection of private partner and the articulation and implementation of projects.Originality/value This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge through setting the framework for metro projects in arid regions with the hottest temperature on Earth such as Kuwait where such projects are missing completely. This work will be very helpful to governments and municipalities in taking investment decisions. It sets the strategy for utilizing the best of decision-making theory, identifying the reliability advantages and finding the larger economic effects. This work identified, through the analysis of alternative management options generally used in underground and rail projects in different parts of the world, the most convenient alternative in developing countries. It also clearly showed, through the analysis carried out on governmental contributions, how to obtain economic viability for such types of projects. Finally, it helped drawing a roadmap for preparing the projects, bidding and selection of private partner and the articulation and implementation of projects in Kuwait and Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC).

Does Sustainable Transport Deliver Societal Value? Exploring Concepts, Methods, and Impacts with Case Studies

Transportation is one of the main enablers of development. It connects communities, allows the trade of goods among territories, and provides equitable access to public services. However, it is also one of the main causes of climate change, impacting directly and indirectly on human health. This raises the need for transportation infrastructure to be more sustainable so that it can enable more sustainable development. This paper investigates how sustainability in the transport sector can be conceptualized, assessed, and implemented. Definitions are proposed, indicators identified, existing methods reviewed, and three case studies presented. The Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) method and resulting integrated simulation models are used to assess the multidimensional outcomes of conventional and sustainable transport investments. The cases of roads, public bicycle-sharing and bus rapid transport systems are discussed. These investments are assessed using an integrated cost–benefit analysis that goes beyond traditional assessments, considering the benefits and avoided costs of the externalities of a project in the social, environmental, and economic dimensions. The use of the method led to the conclusion that including externalities in a cost–benefit analysis is meaningful and can be relevant for assessing the economic viability of transport infrastructure projects.