Cost-Benefit Analysis for Integrated Area Development Assessments (English summary)

The method used by the government to identify the social effects of transport infrastructure is set out in the ‘OEI guidance document’ (Overzichten Effecten Infrastructuur). In principle this method also suitable for use in integrated area development assessments. However, a number of methodological and practical issues need to be addressed when applying this social cost-benefit analysis to area development assessments.

This report is available in Dutch.

This is the main conclusion of the study ‘Cost-Benefit Analysis for Integrated Area Development Assessments: Applicability of the OEI method’ by the Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis (KiM). Integrated area development assessments evaluate complementary investments in housing, employment, accessibility, water management and nature conservation. Integrated assessments differ in three respects from the standard assessments of transport infrastructure projects.

First, they examine the efficiency or synergy benefits that can gained from coordinating or bundling investments. Second, they involve plans from various sectors and disciplines, which means that a wide range of different effects can be expected, including those that cannot easily be measured and evaluated (such as environmental, landscape and visual impacts). Third, many parties from both government and the private sector are involved, and all seek to ensure their goals and interests are given full weight in the evaluation.