Road network - Revision history

John P: /* Economic */

2013-11-04T10:22:50Z

Economic

John P: /* Economic */

2013-11-04T10:21:07Z

Economic

Olav at 09:27, 12 July 2013

2013-07-12T09:27:19Z

Olav: /* Social */

2013-07-12T09:25:05Z

Social

Olav: /* Description */

2013-07-12T09:24:01Z

Description

John P: /* Economic */

2013-05-15T14:42:47Z

Economic

John P: /* Economic */

2013-05-15T14:41:22Z

Economic

John P: /* Economic */

2013-05-15T14:40:58Z

Economic

John P: /* Economic */

2013-05-15T14:38:39Z

Economic

John P: /* Economic */

2013-05-15T14:37:10Z

Economic

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 By connecting geographic locations, road networks facilitate the transport and movement of people, goods, and services, creating welfare. Road networks played a crucial role in the economic development of the 20th century, enabling relatively fast individual transportation for the masses from the second part of the 20th century<ref>Rodrique, J.P. and T. Notteboom (2013): The Geography of Transport Systems. 3rd Edition.</ref>. And although the development of air transportation and telecommunication networks started to compete with road networks during the later part of the 20th century, in most EU countries road transport still plays a crucial role in the national and local transportation networks.
-Investments in road networks reduce the travel time between two locations, increase the robustness of the transportation network and hence reduce the travel costs. These kind of effects are referred to as the so-called [[Primary economic impact|direct effects]] of road networks. The [[Economic impact|economic impact]] of road networks extend in most cases beyond these direct effects due to the further rounds of economic activity as a result of the efficient transportation of goods, skills and persons, the so-called [[Secondary economic impact|indirect economic effects]]. The investment in road networks, however, do not just lead to positive effects. Apart from the necessary investments in terms of time and money, road networks fill up land and have negative social and environmental impacts such as congestion, traffic accidents, light and noise pollution, and (of course) air pollution. In order to assess if an investment in a road network has a positive effect on society, or to compare different alternatives of transport infrastructure, [[economic tools]] can be used to value the positive and negative direct, indirect and external effects of these alternatives. The difficulty with this kind of economic appraisal is first of all that it is not easy to measure the valuation of travel time<ref>Different people and organisations value travel time in different ways, depending on many factors such as income, goal of the trip, social background, etc.)</ref>, and secondly that new road infrastructure will generate road use that would not have been made without the investments, the so-called induced demand. A third problem is that especially [[External effects|external effects]] such as quality of life, the value of unique nature, the value of no air pollution, are very difficult to be expressed in monetary terms.<ref>Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_economics</ref>
+Investments in road networks reduce the travel time between two locations, increase the robustness of the transportation network and hence reduce the travel costs. These kind of effects are referred to as the so-called [[Primary economic impact|direct effects]] of road networks. The [[Economic impact|economic impact]] of road networks extend in most cases beyond these direct effects due to the further rounds of economic activity as a result of the efficient transportation of goods, skills and persons, the so-called [[Secondary economic impact|indirect economic effects]]. The investment in road networks, however, do not just lead to positive effects. Apart from the necessary investments in terms of time and money, road networks fill up land and have negative social and environmental impacts such as congestion, traffic accidents, light and noise pollution, and (of course) air pollution. In order to assess if an investment in a road network has a positive effect on society, or to compare different alternatives of transport infrastructure, [[economic tools]] can be used to value the positive and negative direct, indirect and external effects of these alternatives. The difficulty with this kind of economic appraisal is first of all that it is not easy to measure the valuation of travel time<ref>Different people and organisations value travel time in different ways, depending on many factors such as income, goal of the trip, social background, etc.)</ref>, and secondly that new road infrastructure will generate road use that would not have been made without the investments, the so-called induced demand. A third problem is that especially [[External effects|external effects]] such as quality of life, the value of unique nature, the value of no air pollution, are very difficult to be expressed in monetary terms.
 Although road networks are hardly affected by security threats (crime, terrorism), it can happen that roads get blocked due to e.g. riots, bomb explosions, traffic flow management, etc. The [[Economic impact of security threats|economic impact]] of these kind of threats can be significant, especially in indirect terms since roads facilitate economic activities. Security measures can prevent these negative economic effects, for instance, by ensuring there are alternatives routes for traffic (traffic flow management). These security measures, however, also generate [[Economic impact of security measures|economic impact]], especially when these measures limit the mobility of road users. See the case example below:

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 === Economic ===
-By connecting geographic locations, road networks facilitate the transport and movement of people, goods, and services, creating welfare. Road networks played a crucial role in the economic development of the 20th century, enabling relatively fast individual transportation for the masses from the second part of the 20th century<ref>J.P. Rodrique & T. Notteboom (2013). The Geography of Transport Systems. 3rd Edition.</ref>. And although the development of air transportation and telecommunication networks started to compete with road networks during the later part of the 20th century, in most EU countries road transport still plays a crucial role in the national and local transportation networks.
+By connecting geographic locations, road networks facilitate the transport and movement of people, goods, and services, creating welfare. Road networks played a crucial role in the economic development of the 20th century, enabling relatively fast individual transportation for the masses from the second part of the 20th century<ref>Rodrique, J.P. and T. Notteboom (2013): The Geography of Transport Systems. 3rd Edition.</ref>. And although the development of air transportation and telecommunication networks started to compete with road networks during the later part of the 20th century, in most EU countries road transport still plays a crucial role in the national and local transportation networks.
 Investments in road networks reduce the travel time between two locations, increase the robustness of the transportation network and hence reduce the travel costs. These kind of effects are referred to as the so-called [[Primary economic impact|direct effects]] of road networks. The [[Economic impact|economic impact]] of road networks extend in most cases beyond these direct effects due to the further rounds of economic activity as a result of the efficient transportation of goods, skills and persons, the so-called [[Secondary economic impact|indirect economic effects]]. The investment in road networks, however, do not just lead to positive effects. Apart from the necessary investments in terms of time and money, road networks fill up land and have negative social and environmental impacts such as congestion, traffic accidents, light and noise pollution, and (of course) air pollution. In order to assess if an investment in a road network has a positive effect on society, or to compare different alternatives of transport infrastructure, [[economic tools]] can be used to value the positive and negative direct, indirect and external effects of these alternatives. The difficulty with this kind of economic appraisal is first of all that it is not easy to measure the valuation of travel time<ref>Different people and organisations value travel time in different ways, depending on many factors such as income, goal of the trip, social background, etc.)</ref>, and secondly that new road infrastructure will generate road use that would not have been made without the investments, the so-called induced demand. A third problem is that especially [[External effects|external effects]] such as quality of life, the value of unique nature, the value of no air pollution, are very difficult to be expressed in monetary terms.<ref>Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_economics</ref>
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 Although road networks are hardly affected by security threats (crime, terrorism), it can happen that roads get blocked due to e.g. riots, bomb explosions, traffic flow management, etc. The [[Economic impact of security threats|economic impact]] of these kind of threats can be significant, especially in indirect terms since roads facilitate economic activities. Security measures can prevent these negative economic effects, for instance, by ensuring there are alternatives routes for traffic (traffic flow management). These security measures, however, also generate [[Economic impact of security measures|economic impact]], especially when these measures limit the mobility of road users. See the case example below:
-{{quote| In economic terms, checkpoints help to apprehend persons in violation of laws and confiscate contraband (such as smuggling goods). The benefits of checkpoints can be quantified in terms of the number of apprehensions per patrol agent. Some detailed studies suggest that checkpoints have a positive benefit-cost ratio. Take for example a study on the community sobriety checkpoint program estimated benefits from the National Highway Traffic safety Administration (NHTSA). This report states that for every $1 spent on sobriety checkpoint program the community saves more than $6, including $1.30 of insurer costs(Miller et al., 1998).<ref>Miller, T., M. Galbraith, and B Lawrence. (1998). Costs and Benefits of a Community Sobriety Checkpoint Program. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 59(4), 462-468. In: Rose, A. & S. Chatterjee (2011). Benefits and Costs of Counter-Terrorism Security Measures in Urban Areas. Research sponsor: Department of Homeland Security, p.10</ref>. Nevertheless, screening of persons also generates indirect costs that are generally hard to measure. Think of effects such as delays (for both private persons as commercial transportation companies), inconvenience for travellers, and the quality of life for local residents. On top of that, checkpoints may possibly also raise concerns about the overall safety of the region, influencing economic activities such as tourism and local business customer ship.}}
+{{quote| In economic terms, checkpoints help to apprehend persons in violation of laws and confiscate contraband (such as smuggling goods). The benefits of checkpoints can be quantified in terms of the number of apprehensions per patrol agent. Some detailed studies suggest that checkpoints have a positive benefit-cost ratio. Take for example a study on the community sobriety checkpoint program estimated benefits from the National Highway Traffic safety Administration (NHTSA). This report states that for every $1 spent on sobriety checkpoint program the community saves more than $6, including $1.30 of insurer costs(Miller et al., 1998).<ref>Miller, T., M. Galbraith, and B Lawrence (1998): Costs and Benefits of a Community Sobriety Checkpoint Program. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 59(4), 462-468. In: Rose, A. & S. Chatterjee (2011): Benefits and Costs of Counter-Terrorism Security Measures in Urban Areas. Research sponsor: Department of Homeland Security, p.10</ref>. Nevertheless, screening of persons also generates indirect costs that are generally hard to measure. Think of effects such as delays (for both private persons as commercial transportation companies), inconvenience for travellers, and the quality of life for local residents. On top of that, checkpoints may possibly also raise concerns about the overall safety of the region, influencing economic activities such as tourism and local business customer ship.}}
-According to the results of SeRoN(a project funded by the European Community)<ref>Security of Road Transport Networks (FP7/2007-2013)</ref>, actions to protect road bridges and tunnels against terrorist threats are rarely cost-effective. The researchers concluded this based on a developed software tool that helps transport operators to decide where to invest in security, ranking  infrastructural objects according to their importance in terms of traffic volume, damage potential, reconstruction time and symbolic value. Nevertheless, the project coordinator stresses that with additional safety or traffic management effects, investment in highway security might be cost-effective, especially if also social and political views are taken into account<ref>Sharpe, L. (24 October 2012). ''Highway security measures 'are hardly ever cost-effective''</ref>.
+According to the results of SeRoN(a project funded by the European Community)<ref>Security of Road Transport Networks (FP7/2007-2013)</ref>, actions to protect road bridges and tunnels against terrorist threats are rarely cost-effective. The researchers concluded this based on a developed software tool that helps transport operators to decide where to invest in security, ranking  infrastructural objects according to their importance in terms of traffic volume, damage potential, reconstruction time and symbolic value. Nevertheless, the project coordinator stresses that with additional safety or traffic management effects, investment in highway security might be cost-effective, especially if also social and political views are taken into account<ref>Sharpe, L. (2012): Highway security measures are hardly ever cost-effective. Engineering & Technology Magazine. Online: http://eandt.theiet.org/news/2012/oct/highway-security.cfm</ref>.
 === Mobility ===

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 [[Category:Urban object]]
-[[File: roadnetwork.jpg|right|200px|Road network|link=]]The road network is the system of interconnected roads designed to accommodate wheeled road going vehicles and pedestrian traffic.
+[[File: roadnetwork.jpg|right|200px|Road network|link=]]The '''road network''' is the system of interconnected roads designed to accommodate wheeled road going vehicles and pedestrian traffic.
 == Description ==

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 == Functions ==
 === Social ===
-The road network facilitates the movement of people allowing for social interaction. A high quality road network is essential not only for connecting key urban centres but for improving connectivity of more isolated local communities for whom many public transport options are limited or not available. National and non national routes connect remote communities with the areas where employment options are more concentrated and services and facilities more readily available.
+The road network facilitates the movement of people allowing for social interaction. A high quality road network is essential not only for connecting key urban centres but for improving connectivity of more isolated local communities for whom many public transport options are limited or not available. Roads connect remote communities with the areas where employment options are more concentrated and services and facilities more readily available.
 === Economic ===

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 * footpaths and pedestrian areas
 * pedestrian crossings
+* bridges, tunnels
- * bridges, tunnels?
 Furthermore, several road-side systems (or Intelligent Transportation Systems, ITS) and monitoring systems are used to control the traffic, such as

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 {{quote| In economic terms, checkpoints help to apprehend persons in violation of laws and confiscate contraband (such as smuggling goods). The benefits of checkpoints can be quantified in terms of the number of apprehensions per patrol agent. Some detailed studies suggest that checkpoints have a positive benefit-cost ratio. Take for example a study on the community sobriety checkpoint program estimated benefits from the National Highway Traffic safety Administration (NHTSA). This report states that for every $1 spent on sobriety checkpoint program the community saves more than $6, including $1.30 of insurer costs(Miller et al., 1998).<ref>Miller, T., M. Galbraith, and B Lawrence. (1998). Costs and Benefits of a Community Sobriety Checkpoint Program. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 59(4), 462-468. In: Rose, A. & S. Chatterjee (2011). Benefits and Costs of Counter-Terrorism Security Measures in Urban Areas. Research sponsor: Department of Homeland Security, p.10</ref>. Nevertheless, screening of persons also generates indirect costs that are generally hard to measure. Think of effects such as delays (for both private persons as commercial transportation companies), inconvenience for travellers, and the quality of life for local residents. On top of that, checkpoints may possibly also raise concerns about the overall safety of the region, influencing economic activities such as tourism and local business customer ship.}}
-According to the results of SeRoN(a project funded by the European Community)<ref>Security of Road Transport Networks (FP7/2007-2013)</ref>, actions to protect road bridges and tunnels against terrorist threats are rarely cost-effective. They concluded this based on a developed software tool that helps transport operators to decide where to invest in security, ranking  infrastructural objects according to their importance in terms of traffic volume, damage potential, reconstruction time and symbolic value. Nevertheless, the project coordinator stresses that with additional safety or traffic management effects the economic balance might tip<ref>Sharpe, L. (24 October 2012). ''Highway security measures 'are hardly ever cost-effective''</ref>.
+According to the results of SeRoN(a project funded by the European Community)<ref>Security of Road Transport Networks (FP7/2007-2013)</ref>, actions to protect road bridges and tunnels against terrorist threats are rarely cost-effective. The researchers concluded this based on a developed software tool that helps transport operators to decide where to invest in security, ranking  infrastructural objects according to their importance in terms of traffic volume, damage potential, reconstruction time and symbolic value. Nevertheless, the project coordinator stresses that with additional safety or traffic management effects the economic balance might tip<ref>Sharpe, L. (24 October 2012). ''Highway security measures 'are hardly ever cost-effective''</ref>.
 === Mobility ===