GIS and Cost-Effectiveness of Investment Decisions

by Peter A. Cook, GIS/Trans, Ltd, Silver Spring, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Pacific Rim TransTech Conference?Volume II: International Ties, Management Systems, Propulsion Technology, Strategic Highway Research Program

Abstract:

This paper describes the use of GIS as a tool for transport planners in a form that can be described as a computer-aided decision support system (DSS) process. The main aim of this process is to define a set of objectives for transport system performance and then test alternative investment programs under budget constraints to measure how well they meet the objectives. This optimizing process is iterative and the GIS output provides feedback to the planner on the success of the process at each point. The application of this technique to the China came in the context of the Railway Investment Study (RIS) which was charged with designing a decision-support system for China Railways management. The paper describes the RIS structure, the DSS optimizing procedures and the dramatic results for improving the cost-effectiveness of railway system investment. These results are then extrapolated to urban network improvement planning.

Subject Headings: Geographic information systems | Rail transportation | Information systems | Investments | Decision support systems | Information management | Benefit cost ratios | China | Asia

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