Impact evaluation of different types of transportation projects using meta-analysis

Abstract

Local, regional and national government agencies have demonstrated increasing interest in the positive relationship between transportation infrastructure investment and economic growth. Investments in transportation are considered to have high economic returns, take advantage of underutilized resources, and support the day-to-day operations of businesses, including improved access to the work force and allowing increased labor force participation. While these assertions concerning transportation investment are positive, they are also generic in nature. There is no specificity with respect to geographical scale and type of transportation projects that can or do aid in the improvement of the economy. The paper aims to address this lack of detail. Using meta-analysis (MA), a framework is developed to effectively select and measure performance metrics for specific types or groups of transportation projects and evaluate their impact on the system features of the larger transportation systems.