This report describes evaluation methods for transport infrastructure investments to ensure that scarce resources are allocated in a way that maximises their net return to society.

Economic Role of Transport Infrastructure: Theory and Models helps evaluate the economic effects of transport infrastructure investments within a cost-benefit framework for maximum economic impact. The book analyzes the primary empirical approaches used to gauge the economic effects of transport infrastructures, providing in-depth discussions on data issues, input-output techniques, and econometric methodologies. Users will find empirical evidence organized from a transport mode point-of-view, inspiring researchers to conduct comparative analysis for various infrastructure projects. Topics cover infrastructure's impact on economic growth using theoretical frameworks, including exogenous growth models, endogenous growth models, and new economic geography models. In addition, readers will also learn tips for conducting infrastructure impact studies and how to improve the effectiveness of infrastructural investments design. - Explains and evaluates the economic effects of transport infrastructure investments, including direct and indirect, short and long run impact, and local and spillover outcomes - Provides up-to-date coverage of quantitative techniques and empirical results for transportation and economic impact issues - Explains the steps for conducting impact studies for proposed infrastructure projects - Analyzes infrastructure's role on economic growth through theoretical, methodological and empirical perspectives - Features case studies describing real-world methods

Examines key principles that should be considered by governments in deciding how to provide and pay for surface transport infrastructure, with a view to best serving societies’ needs and employing public resources.

This book makes a major contribution to the debate and is directed at researchers, decision makers and students who are interested in the wider economic development impacts of transport.

Presents a set of 37 classic readings in the literature that show the development of analysis in the field of transport infrastructure. Readings are arranged into five sections: foundation papers; infrastructure and economic development; infrastructure networks; infrastructure measurement and evaluation; and case studies. Contributions are drawn from such publications as Journal of Monetary Economics; Economic Journal, Regional and Urban Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Review of Economics and Statistics, Empirical Economics, Regional Science and Urban Economics, New England Economic Review, Policy Studies Journal, Scandinavian Journal of Economics, and Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, among others, as well as a few books. Contributions range from one written in 1929 to 1999. Lacks a subject index. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Mobility is fundamental to economic and social activities such as commuting, manufacturing, or supplying energy. Each movement has an origin, a potential set of intermediate locations, a destination, and a nature which is linked with geographical attributes. Transport systems composed of infrastructures, modes and terminals are so embedded in the socio-economic life of individuals, institutions and corporations that they are often invisible to the consumer. This is paradoxical as the perceived invisibility of transportation is derived from its efficiency. Understanding how mobility is linked with geography is main the purpose of this book. The third edition of The Geography of Transport Systems has been revised and updated to provide an overview of the spatial aspects of transportation. This text provides greater discussion of security, energy, green logistics, as well as new and updated case studies, a revised content structure, and new figures. Each chapter covers a specific conceptual dimension including networks, modes, terminals, freight transportation, urban transportation and environmental impacts. A final chapter contains core methodologies linked with transport geography such as accessibility, spatial interactions, graph theory and Geographic Information Systems for transportation (GIS-T). This book provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the field, with a broad overview of its concepts, methods, and areas of application. The accompanying website for this text contains a useful additional material, including digital maps, PowerPoint slides, databases, and links to further reading and websites. The website can be accessed at: http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans This text is an essential resource for undergraduates studying transport geography, as well as those interest in economic and urban geography, transport planning and engineering.

World Development Report 1994 examines the link between infrastructure and development and explores ways in which developing countries can improve both the provision and the quality of infrastructure services. In recent decades, developing countries have made substantial investments in infrastructure, achieving dramatic gains for households and producers by expanding their access to services such as safe water, sanitation, electric power, telecommunications, and transport. Even more infrastructure investment and expansion are needed in order to extend the reach of services - especially to people living in rural areas and to the poor. But as this report shows, the quantity of investment cannot be the exclusive focus of policy. Improving the quality of infrastructure service also is vital. Both quantity and quality improvements are essential to modernize and diversify production, help countries compete internationally, and accommodate rapid urbanization. The report identifies the basic cause of poor past performance as inadequate institutional incentives for improving the provision of infrastructure. To promote more efficient and responsive service delivery, incentives need to be changed through commercial management, competition, and user involvement. Several trends are helping to improve the performance of infrastructure. First, innovation in technology and in the regulatory management of markets makes more diversity possible in the supply of services. Second, an evaluation of the role of government is leading to a shift from direct government provision of services to increasing private sector provision and recent experience in many countries with public-private partnerships is highlighting new ways to increase efficiency and expand services. Third, increased concern about social and environmental sustainability has heightened public interest in infrastructure design and performance.

Infrastructure is essential for development. This report presents a snapshot of the current condition of developing Asia's infrastructure---defined here as transport, power, telecommunications, and water supply and sanitation. It examines how much the region has been investing in infrastructure and what will likely be needed through 2030. Finally, it analyzes the financial and institutional challenges that will shape future infrastructure investment and development.