Urban Infrastructure Projects Research Articles

Take the Q Train: Value Capture of Public Infrastructure Projects

Transit infrastructure is a critical asset for economic activity yet costly to build in dense urban environments. We measure the benefit of the Second Avenue Subway extension in New York City, the most expensive urban transit infrastructure project in recent memory, by analyzing local real estate prices which capitalize the benefits of transit spillovers. We find 8% price increases, creating $6 billion in new property value. Using cell phone ping data, we document substantial reductions in commuting time especially among subway users, offering a plausible mechanism for the price gains. The increase in prices reflects both higher rents and lower risk. Infrastructure improvements lower the riskiness of real estate investments. Only 30% of the private value created by the subway is captured through higher property tax revenue, and is insufficient to cover the cost of the subway. Targeted property tax increases may help governments capture more of the value created, and serve as a useful funding tool.

Modern urban tunnelling – Responding to social needs

AbstractUrban Tunnelling requires handling of a wide range of ground conditions and multiple challenges generated by work access constraints, settlement sensitive structures, as well as testing socio economic needs such as limitations to noise and dust emissions as well as impact on traffic. Such projects and their bespoke technical solutions come at a price. The realisation of large‐scale urban infrastructure projects is often accompanied by intensive discussions about the cost in support of the social need for such projects. This article provides socio‐economic reasoning for major urban infrastructure projects and insight in selected technical solutions that are required to realise these projects in urban settings.

Innovative NATM solutions for major subway stations in North America – An overview of recent developments and project case histories

AbstractSince the first mined subway stations were constructed in Washington, DC in the mid‐80s, European engineers and construction professionals have been promoting the benefits of the conventional tunneling method for major urban infrastructure projects throughout North America. In recent years, significant advances have been made in the use of numerical design tools, innovative construction approaches, fiber reinforced shotcrete mixes and the increased use of robotics and laser‐scanning equipment. This article provides an overview of key technologies and innovations applied on recent projects, including Chinatown Station in San Francisco; Parliament, Lyon and Rideau Stations in Ottawa; and Laird, Avenue and Oakwood Stations in Toronto.

The temporalities of financialization

In the last decade, a bourgeoning body of literature has explored the influence of financial actors, techniques and motives in the urban development of North American and European cities. Less has been said about the influence of finance on the temporalities of urban production and urban life. Yet finance is, at its most basic, the management of debt; and debt is, simply put, the deferral of payment; thus, by its very nature, financialization introduces new temporal dynamics into whatever object of investment it engages with. This paper examines these temporal dynamics in the financialized production of a large-scale urban infrastructure project, the Thames Tideway Tunnel (TTT), a 25-km ‘super-sewer’ beneath the River Thames where it runs through the center of London. From analyzing how financial actors, motives, and instruments influence the planning and implementation of this massive sewer expansion, it traces the ways in which the temporal characteristics of finance have repercussions in the urban space that privilege financial interests. This analysis contributes both conceptual and empirical insights. Firstly, it provides a theoretical conceptualization of the ways in which the temporalities of financialization shape the material production of the city. Secondly and more empirically, our case analysis allows us to schematize the different ways in which the financialization of the TTT project shapes the temporalities of its production, with wide-ranging political, economic and environmental implications. In summary, the paper closes a crucial gap in understanding how different temporalities of finance intersect in the making of contemporary cities.

Generating a Systematic Construction Accident Costs Calculation for Urban Rail Infrastructure Project

Construction activities involve various risks, which can cause fatal major and minor accidents. The construction of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), which is the most prestige urban rail infrastructure project in Malaysia, also exposed to those accidents. Both fatal and non-fatal accidents have high significance in economic burden to the MRT project stakeholders. However, it is very difficult to quantify the costs of these accidents. The objective of this study is to explore a method to calculate accident costs during the construction of urban rail infrastructure projects. To derive accident costs at construction sites, an accurate structure of the data collection system is very essential. This study is based on previous research that classifies the accident costs into two basic categories, which are direct costs and indirect costs. Measuring accident costs and providing the most specific variables are crucial as the calculations should be as detailed as possible for the accurate provision of project budget as well as cost for controlling and monitoring purposes. This study can also increase awareness of accident costs in urban rail infrastructure projects.

Water absorption characteristics of cement-based materials based on the chemical reaction

With the development of urban infrastructure, subway and other underground projects are gradually being constructed in various cities. The influence of water absorption on surface of cement-based materials has therefore become more and more important. A mathematical model and the relative experiment of water absorption in cement mortar were investigated. The results showed that the change of radius of pore was decreased and absorption mass fraction was increased with the increased of absorption time. The possibility and direction of reaction during this process were studied, and the result showed that hydrolysis was not merely occurred in this process.

Determine the optimal capital structure of BOT projects using interval numbers with Tianjin Binhai New District Metro Z4 line in China as an example

Purpose Various factors may influence project finance when a multi-sourced debt financing strategy is used for financing capital investments, in general, and public infrastructure investments, in particular. Traditional indicators lack comprehensive consideration of the influences of many internal and external factors, such as investment structure, financing mode and credit guarantee structure, which exist in the financing decision making of BOT projects. An effective approach is, thus, desired. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This paper develops a financial model that uses an interval number to represent the uncertain factors and, subsequently, conducts a standardization of the interval number. Decision makers determine the weight of each objective through the analytic hierarchy process. Through the optimization procedure, project investors and sponsors are provided with a strategy regarding the optimal amount of debt to be raised and the insight on the risk level based on the net present value, as well as the probability of bankruptcy for each different period of debt service. Findings By using an example infrastructure project in China and based on the comprehensive evaluation, comparison and ranking of the capital structures of urban public infrastructure projects using the interval number method, the final ranking can help investors to choose the optimal capital structure for investment. The calculation using the interval number method shows that X2 is the optimal capital structure plan for the BOT project of the first stage of Tianjin Binhai Rail Transit Z4 line. Therefore, investors should give priority to selecting a capital contribution ratio of 45 per cent for this investment. Research limitations/implications In this paper, some parameters, such as depreciation life, construction period and concession period, are assumed to be deterministic parameters, although the interval number model has been introduced to analyze the uncertainty indicators, such as total investment and passenger flow, of BOT rail transport projects. Therefore, more of the above deterministic parameters can be taken as uncertainty parameters in future research so that calculation results fit actual projects more closely. Originality/value This model can be used to make the optimal investment decision for a project by determining the impact of uncertainty factors on the profitability of the project in its lifecycle during the project financial feasibility analysis. Project sponsors can determine the optimal capital structure of a project through an analysis of the irregular fluctuation of the unpredictable factors in project construction such as construction investment, operating cost and passenger flow. The model can also be used to examine the effects of different capital investment ratios on indicators so that appropriate measures can be taken to reduce risks and maximize profit.

Mapping minibuses in Maputo and Nairobi: engaging paratransit in transportation planning in African cities

ABSTRACTOften called paratransit because of their flexible stops, schedules and routes, minibuses make up the bulk of public transport in African cities. Despite their ubiquity and importance, these systems are poorly understood by transportation planners who tend to focus on large-scale urban infrastructure projects such as highways, commuter rail or bus rapid transit systems. The assumption within much of this planning is that these minibus systems are barriers to change and will become at most secondary “feeder” buses within large-scale projects, but structured plans detailing this vision are lacking. This paper argues that frequent failure to collect data and value important paratransit systems as a critical part of transportation in their own right is deeply problematic from the point of view of equity, access and inclusive and effective planning. We ask whether the growing number of bottom up mapping projects of minibus systems can disrupt this status quo. By comparing two mapping projects, Digital Matatus in Nairobi and the Mapa Dos Chapas in Maputo, we find that inclusive, collaborative mapping can help render these minibuses more visible in planning and provoke more grounded and inclusive “planning conversations” on multi-modal integration, passenger information and minibus upgrading, all key but relatively marginalised aspects of creating accessible, low emission, high quality and safe public transport in African cities.

Water, sanitation and mortality in Swiss towns in the context of urban renewal in the late nineteenth century

ABSTRACTThe modernisation of water supply and sanitation in Swiss towns at the end of the nineteenth century contributed to a reduction in waterborne infectious diseases such as typhoid fever. We analyse the association between mortality rates and these large-scale urban infrastructure projects in 15 major Swiss towns between 1876 and 1901. During this period, Switzerland experienced a rapid economic development and modernisation as well as rising living standards. We used panel data regression models with fixed effects to estimate the effects of the sanitary reforms. In 1876, the average typhoid fever mortality rate was 87 deaths per 100,000 people. In 1901 it had decreased to 10 deaths. We find that the introduction of modern water supply reduced typhoid fever mortality rates by 22 percent. Finally, we show that the modernisation of this central urban infrastructure was a complex, step-by-step process.

Designing Wetlands as an Essential Infrastructural Element for Urban Development in the era of Climate Change

The increasing development of urban infrastructure has led to the significant loss of natural wetlands and their ecosystem services. Many novel urban development projects currently attempt to incorporate environmental sustainability, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and community engagement into the intricate challenges we all face in an era of climate change. This paper aims to communicate several key findings on design elements that can be adopted or incorporated in the design of created wetlands as infrastructural elements. Three major design elements—microtopography, hydrologic connectivity, and planting diversity—are presented, and their relations to restoring ecosystem services of urban wetlands, in particular water and habitat quality, are discussed. These design elements can be easily adopted or incorporated in the planning, designing, and construction stages of urban development. The success of urban infrastructure projects may require both better communication among stakeholders and a great deal of community engagement. The Rain Project, a floating wetland project on an urban college campus, demonstrates the role of interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement as a model for sustainable stormwater management, a critical part of today’s urban development. Further efforts should be made to advance the science of designing urban wetlands and its communication to transform cultural attitudes toward sustainable urban development.

Exploring the Relationship between Safety and Health Cost Dimensions and Accident Costs to the Employer of Urban Rail Infrastructure Projects

The Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) System is set to be one of the mega projects in Malaysia. Many of the researches have focused on the causes of construction accident occurrences at the site. Whilst, this study focuses on the consequences (i.e., costs) of the occurrences of the accidents for the project. The work injuries create economic issues for our society. The awareness of accident costs is absent because the stakeholders always leave the matters to the insurance company. They are ignorant of the cost of an accident without realising the greatness of its impacts on the industry and the country. Therefore, this study aims to determine the relationship between accident costs and the factors influencing the accident costs of urban rail infrastructure projects to the Employer. All these factors are known as safety and health cost dimensions. For this research, the Employer, also known as a Contractor, is the person who bears the accident costs (direct and indirect costs) of the project. Multiple regression performed on the sixty-two (62) accident cases from the MRT 1 SBK (Sungai Buloh-Kajang) Line Projects. These findings could heighten the importance of the effect of an accident on the Employer’s company’s economics and budgeting.

URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND CHALLENGES, RISK IDENTIFYING FOR EMERGING NEW CITIES OF NEPAL

Nepal is beautiful country. According to new geographical structure there are six metropolitan cities, eleven sub-metropolitan cities. Seventeen cities are already urbanized and two hundred and seventy-six municipalities are also newly emerging cities. The objective of this research is mainly urban infrastructure development, its challenges, explore the problems, identify defective coordination within the interdisciplinary ministry, suggest for integrated infrastructure, to aware risk factors associated during urban infrastructures. The methodology adopted was according to various literature reviews and surveys conducted on the sport. Respondent were selected from concerned authorities, this research shows everyone want affordable housing, public hospital, school, college, university, drinking water, communication, drain and sanitation facilities and wide road are prime needs. It was found the defective procurement policy including various risk factors, a lack of adequate government’s act with necessary policies, vision of leader is not globally thinking and locally acting, human resource is not compatible, the poor performance of contactor and consultant, project manager is not being professional and allocating budget is not enough, since one authority built, immediately other authority dig the trench. if government started integrated urban infrastructure projects would better for future and proper risk management plan needs to establish.

Measuring the value for money of transport infrastructure procurement; an intergenerational approach

Cost-benefit analysis is essential for decision-making in connection with major transport projects and integrated investment programmes. Projects of transport infrastructure have traditionally been publicly promoted and managed, but funded through both public and private sources. While budget allocations are always somehow present, the financing of the project may involve private participation, including user fees and loans of various types. Actually, management models involving private actors have been increasingly used in recent decades. The background supporting this trend is that private ingenuity and expertise in dealing with risk improves overall project efficiency enough to compensate for the additional expenditure generated by these models. In addition, the government promoting the investment may use private finance as a mechanism to place it off-budget.Current methods of project appraisal, in particular cost-benefit analysis, look at actions from the point of view of today’s society. Decision makers usually determine the financing formula after the decision to build has been adopted, which should ideally follow a positive conclusion on the efficiency of the project. But the financing formula has an impact across the successive generations of users and/or taxpayers that will end up footing the bill stemming from the investment. This paper actually highlights the importance of looking closely at the intergenerational effects of the adopted financing mechanism to ensure its fairness and convenience. It describes the outcomes obtained from the analysis of the intergenerational impacts performed with IREM –a model developed precisely to analyse these effects – to a set of urban public transport infrastructure projects. The IREM results show that public-private partnerships, although often entailing a substantial increase of the public expenditure linked to these projects compared to conventional procurement mechanisms, are typically better in terms of intergenerational fairness. This conclusion cannot be extended to all PPPs, as it depends on the alternative public sector funding, but it is a strong argument in favour of including in the Value for Money analysis of PPPs, besides the standard efficiency and financial considerations, an analysis of the intergenerational effects of the different procurement options and to compare these effects with those of the purely public financing alternative.

Conceived Versus Lived Social Spaces and the Transformation of the Morro da Providência Favela of Rio de Janeiro Since 2008

In anticipation of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro initiated several urban infrastructure projects including Porto Maravilha, Morar Carioca, and the Units of Police Pacification (UPP) program. Starting in 2008, one aspect of that effort involved bringing favelas, irregular and unplanned neighborhoods, under the control of centralized urban planning. However, rather than consult the residents to align infrastructure planning with the needs of the community, the planners imposed projects such as a cable car and a funicular tram. The authors use mental maps drawn by the residents of the Morro da Providência favela to uncover five main themes related to that process: public space, sanitation, access to food, transportation, and fear. The method reveals the residents' perspectives on the disconnect between the conceived social space of urban planners and the lived social space of everyday life, and thereby, how the infrastructure projects failed the needs of the favela community.

Greening Displacements, Displacing Green: Environmental Subjectivity, Slum Clearance, and the Embodied Political Ecologies of Dispossession in Mumbai

AbstractIn Indian cities, informal ‘slum’ settlements have long been targeted for removal as an environmental improvement strategy, despite their relatively low impact. Slum clearance has escalated with the combination of speculative development and environmental change, creating uneven precarity throughout Mumbai's neighborhoods. State agents play a direct role in slum evictions, but they do not act unilaterally. Diverse lower‐income and middle‐class residents seeking better living conditions have sometimes converged in their embrace of slum clearances and resettlements that advance elite development interests. In other moments, the dispossessing effects of market‐based and elite‐biased slum rehabilitation have fomented contestation. This article analyzes how differently situated groups emerge as ‘environmental subjects’ that embrace or contest improvement projects. It suggests three dimensions of subject formation: governing logics and discourses of urban environmental improvement, the territorial politics of informality, and differentiated embodied experiences of precarity and dispossession. Environmental subject formation is explored through two interventions that entail slum clearance—mangrove and green space conservation and an urban transport infrastructure project. Findings suggest that the connection between displacement and improvement cannot be explained through theories of environmental gentrification but require attention to the simultaneously inclusive and dispossessing regimes of postcolonial development.

Lessons Learned from a Cancelled Urban Transport Project in a Developing Country: The Importance of the Front-end Planning Phase

In many developing countries, infrastructure development has played an important role in driving economic and social growth. It has also been useful in accelerating development at both regional and national levels. Nevertheless, history provides many examples of infrastructure projects that have been cancelled for one reason or another. Such cancellations have often resulted in losses. Thus, it is important to study and learn from these cancelled projects in order to improve future project performance. This paper investigates the case of a cancelled urban transport infrastructure project in Indonesia. The case considered in this study is that of the Jakarta monorail project which was started in 2004 and completely discontinued in 2015. The example of the Jakarta monorail project is instructive as it has not been the subject of intensive study up to this point. This paper takes a case study approach, coupled with comprehensive reviews of extensive sources on the topic of cancelled infrastructure projects. This study applies a thematic coding technique using NVivo11 software to analyze and find patterns from qualitative data. The observed issues were grouped into three categories, i.e.: the history, causes and impacts of the Jakarta monorail cancellation. Furthermore, the authors also underscore the importance of making a kill decision as an option. The findings from this paper also highlight the importance of front-end planning in infrastructure projects.

Safety and Health Cost Allocation for Urban Rail Infrastructure Project: Identifying issues and importance

This paper presents the findings of a preliminary survey, which is consist of the identification of issues and importance of safety and health cost allocation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven (7) construction stakeholders who are involved in urban rail infrastructure project. The transcription and interpretation from the interview findings were carried out using Atlas.ti© qualitative software. The respondent views are needed to obtain safety items and related issues in developing this framework mainly for estimating the safety cost allocation.

Urban Road Infrastructure Maintenance Planning with Application of Neural Networks

The maintenance planning within the urban road infrastructure management is a complex problem from both the management and technoeconomic aspects. The focus of this research is on decision-making processes related to the planning phase during management of urban road infrastructure projects. The goal of this research is to design and develop an ANN model in order to achieve a successful prediction of road deterioration as a tool for maintenance planning activities. Such a model is part of the proposed decision support concept for urban road infrastructure management and a decision support tool in planning activities. The input data were obtained from Circly 6.0 Pavement Design Software and used to determine the stress values (560 testing combinations). It was found that it is possible and desirable to apply such a model in the decision support concept in order to improve urban road infrastructure maintenance planning processes.

Sustainability assessment for urban underground utility infrastructure projects

Utility infrastructure systems, designed well, have a pivotal role to play in improving the sustainability of cities due to their critical functionality in urban environments. Equally, utility streetworks – installation, maintenance and upgrading activities – can adversely impact the local and global economies. The inaccurate location of pipes and cables lengthens streetworks operations and can exacerbate traffic congestion, notably resulting in major delays in cases of third-party utility damage, while vehicle emissions and wasted energy are other examples of the adverse impacts of congestion caused by streetworks operations. The total impact of utility infrastructure projects can be assessed only by evaluating all economic (both direct and indirect), social and environmental costs of streetworks. A dedicated tool for evaluating the sustainability impacts of utility streetworks is required. This paper provides the basis for utility streetworks sustainability assessments, and hence full costing, by critically reviewing existing sustainability assessment tools and making recommendations for developing a total sustainability costing model and indicator system.

Erratum: Sustainability assessment for urban underground utility infrastructure projects

Utility infrastructure systems, designed well, have a pivotal role to play in improving the sustainability of cities due to their critical functionality in urban environments. Equally, utility streetworks – installation, maintenance and upgrading activities – can adversely impact the local and global economies. The inaccurate location of pipes and cables lengthens streetworks operations and can exacerbate traffic congestion, notably resulting in major delays in cases of third-party utility damage, while vehicle emissions and wasted energy are other examples of the adverse impacts of congestion caused by streetworks operations. The total impact of utility infrastructure projects can be assessed only by evaluating all economic (both direct and indirect), social and environmental costs of streetworks. A dedicated tool for evaluating the sustainability impacts of utility streetworks is required. This paper provides the basis for utility streetworks sustainability assessments, and hence full costing, by critic...