In this paper we provide estimates of the effects of international transport costs on firms’ exports and disentangle the channels of these effects. In so doing, we use a unique dataset consisting of highly disaggregated transaction-level trade and transport cost data and, in order to account...

In the current economical and financial crisis, the economic evaluation of transport infrastructure investment projects is of most importance. Given the need of most governments to reduce spending and control the deficit, having tools that facilitate decision-making seems to be a key objective....

Standard cost-benefit analysis (CBA) does not take into account induced demand due to relocation triggered by infrastructure investments. Using an integrated transport and land-use model calibrated for the Stockholm region, we explore whether this has any significant impact on the CBA outcome,...

We modify a method recently suggested by Weitzman (2012, 2013) for determining a risk-adjusted social discount rate (SDR) term structure consistent with both the (augmented) Ramsey rule and the consumption-based CAPM. Using this approach we estimate SDR for transportation infrastructure...

This paper discusses some problems in determining the optimal use of road safety measures. The first of these problems is how best to define the baseline option, i.e. what will happen if no new safety measures are introduced. The second problem concerns choice of a method for selection of...

Cost-benefit analysis has become a widely used and well developed tool for evaluation of suggested transport projects. This paper presents our view of the role and position of CBA in a transport planning process, partly based on a survey of a number of countries where CBA plays a formalised role...

This paper first considers the role of appraisal in rail systems, and shows how this extends far beyond simply appraising investment projects to considering long run strategy, renewals, quality of service and closures. It then discusses the particular issues which make rail appraisals complex,...

We develop a framework for assessing the net benefits of investments to promote bicycling, which explicitly accounts for internal costs of bicycling. We apply our model to eight Swiss cities using data from the Swiss national travel survey and find that increasing the level of bicycling by...

Economic calculation, and especially cost benefit analysis (Coba), is more and more criticised and accused to be technocratic and partial, leading to a narrow view of projects. An example of this loss of credibility is the New Approach To Appraisal (NATA), implemented in Great Britain at the end...

Standard conditions of usage of public cost-benefit analysis are no longer met to-day in the field of infrastructure projects, for instance for transportation and other networks. When environmental conflicts are at stake, such a tool is no longer supporting both a decisionmaking process aiming...