00450910

Component

http://onlinepubs.trb.org...s/trr/1984/991/991-008.pdf

https://scholar.google.co...Mace&publication_year=1984

Issues relevant to the conduct of effectiveness or post-implementation evaluation studies are addressed within the context of urban transportation projects. In particular, the conceptual rationale underlying development of the experimental plan is discussed in detail. An experimental plan serves to rule out systematically factors that might cause an observed difference between measures of effectiveness. Several such recurrent factors--called threats to internal validity--are described as well as are experimental plans useful in ruling them out. These more theoretical notions are discussed subsequently within the contexts of three transportation projects in Pennsylvania. These include a safety improvement project, a ridesharing program, and a transit fare reduction study. The findings of the study, which resulted from a review of the literature and interviews with transportation officials, suggest an unnecessarily wide gap between the state of the art and the actual practice in the design of effectiveness evaluations. The authors offer some suggestions for improving the conduct of such studies as a means of improving the way decisions are made, particularly at the state level.

Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Social, Economic, and Environmental Factors of Transportation.

01419876

pp 54-62

1984

Transportation Research Record

0309038006

Print

References (17) ; Tables (1)

Alternatives analysis; Before and after studies; Fares; Highway safety; Project management; Public transit; Ridesharing; State departments of transportation

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Administration and Management; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

TRIS, TRB

Feb 28 1986 12:00AM

• AUTOMOBILE RESTRICTED ZONES IN DOWNTOWNS: LESSONS FROM UMTA'S DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM
• CURRENT USE OF PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT TECHNIQUES BY STATE HIGHWAY AGENCIES
• IDENTIFICATION OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PROBLEMS: PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT THROUGH A TELEPHONE SURVEY
• SOCIOECONOMIC REACTIONS TO HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT
• STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF THE AUTOMATED GUIDEWAY TRANSIT INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES
• THE AUTOMATIC GUIDEWAY TRANSIT EXPERIENCE IN CLEVELAND, HOUSTON, LOS ANGELES, AND ST. PAUL
• THE OPEN FORMAT AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING