Principles of Economic Efficiency Applied to Highway Infrastructure Problems.
Abstract
Research to determine the nature of the nation's highway infrastructure problem revealed that the nation's highways are aging without the required levels of rehabilitation, and the process is being accelerated by overloading, due primarily to the unpredicted levels of growth in the heavy trucking industry. Planning response to the problems of highway congestion in urban centers has also been lacking. To aid in the the understanding of highway decay, the basics of highway design are reviewed and the modes of highway failure are discussed. This thesis proposed that the rules of optimal peak load pricing and economic efficiency be used to solve the urban infrastructure problems. The established rules of optimal peak load pricing are expanded to cover the costs of highway deterioration from traffic loading as well as the user costs of congestion. A comprehensive pricing formula is developed and the long run highway investment rules are established. The Boston Central Artery reconstruction project is used as an example of how to apply this theory to practice.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA145620
Entities
People
- G. E. Walrond
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology