General Cost-Benefit Analysis Reference Documents
Source
EC DG Regional Policy
Date
June 2008
Description
Updated guide to CBA of large infrastructure projects financed by Regional Funds, Cohesion Fund and Instrument for Pre-Accession. Provides guidelines for several transport sectors (255pp).
Source
University of Stuttgart (Co-ordination)
Date
May 2006
Description
Project assessment guidelines based on harmonised approaches and comparable values as regards:
- Value of time and congestion
- Value of accident risk reduction
- Costs from health impacts and costs of other nuisances due to pollutants and noise
- Wider economic effects, i.e. indirect effects
- Infrastructure costs
- General CBA aspects; e.g. inter- and intragenerational distribution, risk and uncertainty
Remarks
Highly useful reference, particular in defining specific values or approaches for your project calculation. Please click here for:
• Harmonised Guidelines for Project Assessment (193pp); annexes to report can be downloaded here.
• Abstract (43pp)
• Annexes (zip-file)
• Overview of (downloadable) theme deliverables (click 'Deliverables' in sidebar)
• Harmonised Guidelines for Project Assessment (193pp); annexes to report can be downloaded here.
• Abstract (43pp)
• Annexes (zip-file)
• Overview of (downloadable) theme deliverables (click 'Deliverables' in sidebar)
Source
World Bank (Transport Notes)
Date
January 2005
Description
Scope, charateristics and process (within World Bank) of economic evaluation of transport projects (25pp).
Title
Source
UNESCO
Date
2003
Description
A course explaining in clear terms the main principles, decision criteria and calculation techniques of a cost-benefit analysis, including excercises and answers (48pp).
Title
RAILPAG - Railway Project Appraisal Guidelines
Source
EIB/DG TREN
Date
January 2007
Description
Outline of recommended methodology for CBA of various kinds of railway projects, like upgrading/renewal, electrification and line closure. Provodes several case studies, including example calculation sheets.
Remarks
Although not set as an official standard by EIB/DG TREN, Railpag provides a useful methodology for the CBA of railway projects. Some case studies come with example Excel sheets (be careful: the version for line upgrading contains a few mistakes), which may be of help. The Railpag website has not been maintained for a while; however, within JASPERS context country specific guidelines are being set. Railpag may still be a good starting point, if added with a proper internalisation of external effects.
Update January 2009: The Railpag-website has been put offline; there is no further explanation for this at the moment, but the development of several (Central-European) country-specific guidelines might be the reason. For those interested in the Railpag documents, please contact TransportEconomics.net.
Update January 2009: The Railpag-website has been put offline; there is no further explanation for this at the moment, but the development of several (Central-European) country-specific guidelines might be the reason. For those interested in the Railpag documents, please contact TransportEconomics.net.
Source
JTLU (Article Elhorst and Oosterhaven - University of Groningen)
Date
Summer 2008
Description
Article on integral evaluation of four Dutch magnetic levitation proposals (Maglevs), explicitly considering market imperfections and cross-border effects. Comparison of results of an integral cost-benefit analysis with those of a traditional cost-benefit analysis of the direct transport effects only (23pp).
Source
World Bank (Transport Notes)
Date
January 2005
Description
Notes on the use of CBA indicators in economic transport evaluation (9pp).
Stimulating public transport and traffic safety______________________© Edge of Space
Source
World Bank (Transport Notes)
Date
January 2005
Description
Review of general principles and outline of methods concerning risk and uncertainty analysis in transport projects (7pp).
Source
World Bank (Transport Notes)
Date
January 2005
Description
Key issues regarding the estimation of operating costs in CBA of infrastructure projects (road vehicle cost, railway operating cost, port operating cost; 6pp).
Source
World Bank (Transport Notes)
Date
January 2005
Description
Key issues and methodologies concerning the inclusion of maintenance cost effects in the CBA of infrastructure projects (8pp).
Source
World Bank (Transport Notes)
Date
January 2005
Description
Outline of situations in which cost effectiveness techniques should be used and description of approaches (10pp).
Source
Technical University Denmark
Date
2006
Description
Paper on the Danish CBA-DK software model for assessment of transport infrastructure projects. The model is based on both a deterministic calculation following the cost-benefit analysis (CBA) methodology and on a stochastic calculation, where risk analysis (RA) is carried out using Monte Carlo Simulation (8pp).
Source
World Bank (and HDM Global for HDM-4)
Date
Various
Description
The World Bank has developed several software tools for road investment development. Some of the recent tools are available for free at the website of the World Bank:
RONET (Road Network Evaluation Tools, for use in African countries and developing countries elsewhere)
RUCKS (Road User Cost Knowledge System - link for download. Short description here.
ROCKS (Road Cost Knowledge System) - link for download. Short description here.
RED (Road Economics Decision Model, aiming at improving decision-making for the development and maintenance of low-volume roads)
(Only tools from 2004 or later are mentioned here.)
The High Development and Management System (HDM-4) is not for free (except the HDM-3 version of 1995, which can be downloaded here). More information about HDM-4 (2005) can be found here: HDM-4 (link to website HDM Global).
RONET (Road Network Evaluation Tools, for use in African countries and developing countries elsewhere)
RUCKS (Road User Cost Knowledge System - link for download. Short description here.
ROCKS (Road Cost Knowledge System) - link for download. Short description here.
RED (Road Economics Decision Model, aiming at improving decision-making for the development and maintenance of low-volume roads)
(Only tools from 2004 or later are mentioned here.)
The High Development and Management System (HDM-4) is not for free (except the HDM-3 version of 1995, which can be downloaded here). More information about HDM-4 (2005) can be found here: HDM-4 (link to website HDM Global).
Remarks
Please note that for the HDM-4 software (version 2.0, 2005) a licence has to be bought from HDM Global, which has exclusive distribution rights, check HDM Global.
Source
World Bank
Date
July 2004
Description
Software user manual and case studies of the Roads Economic Desicion Model (114pp).
Source
World Bank (Transport Papers)
Date
September 2007
Description
Summary of main factors that influence the costs and farebox cost recovery of rail passenger services, a description of a generalised passenger service costing model, and an illustration of the cost drivers of services and the sensitivity of costs to different market and operational drivers (49pp).
Title
Source
Ministry of Transport, the Netherlands
Date
September 2005
Description
Presentation on contents and experience of applying the OEI Guidelines (12 sheets).
Taking into account network effects_____________________ ____© P. Capper
Source
Victoria Transport Policy Institute (Canada)
Date
May 2007 (rev.)
Description
Online handbook for transport CBA, of which each chapter is separately downloadable. Contains all major issues and practical information, among others on economic evaluation, cost quantification, vehicle cost, travel time, all external effects, congestion, and parking (275pp).
Remarks
Easily accessible reference on various subjects, which may provide useful views, methodology and data.
Source
Victoria Transport Policy Institute (Can.)
Date
June 2006
Description
This paper discusses the application of economic analysis techniques to transportation planning. It describes Cost-Effectiveness, Benefit-Cost Analysis, Lifecycle Cost Analysis, and Multiple Accounts Analysis. It discusses common problems associated with economic analysis, particularly when comparing investments in alternative modes and describes specific solutions to these problems (22pp).
Remarks
Useful overview of some basic methodologies.
Source
Transportation Research Board (US)
Date
2002
Description
Online Handbook focussing on transit systems (in the US), a resource for those who have to analyse the benefits and costs of public transportation services and presenting the results of these analyses to decisionmakers, the media, and the public (148pp).
Source
OESO-ECMT
Date
2001
Description
Analysis of the wider economic effects (like employment, economic development in region or country, environmental benefits) of transport and suggestions for methods of carrying out project and policy assessment of the these effects of transport (213pp).
Source
Dep. of Transport Ireland
Date
August 2004
Description
Advisory report for transport projects in Ireland on parameter values and application rules in relation to the value of time, vehicle operating costs, the value of accidents and environmental impacts of transport (82pp).
Source
OECD-ECMT
Date
2004
Description
Review of decision making processes and assessments concerning transport projects in five different EU countries (FR, I, NL, FIN, UK), 235pp.