00796914

Component

http://onlinepubs.trb.org.../conf/1999/cp21/21-016.pdf

This paper concentrates on highway transportation and assesses how well states are able to forecast revenues from taxes and fees levied on highway users and whether the models they employ in forecasting revenues are appropriate for the task. In addition, the paper investigates whether the information relied upon by these models is sufficiently accurate to support reliable forecasts, and how this information might be improved. The paper then moves beyond questions of current practice and examines new methods of financing transportation infrastructure investments and their information needs for forecasting. The discussion is organized as follows: After a brief review of the evolution of highway finance and its components, the next section of this paper reviews variables that currently are used in forecasting state highway revenues, and it assesses the quality and accuracy of available measures of these variables. Factors that may affect the reliability of current information are explored, new options for measuring specific variables are examined, and their information requirements are outlined. In the next section, the adequacy of current revenue forecasting models is investigated. This section also identifies the additional information demands that are likely to be imposed by new or improved forecasting models. The next section examines the information needs that are likely to result from introducing new revenue instruments. This section requires a somewhat speculative examination of the specific financing measures states may be considering to augment their current revenue sources, including highway tolls and new forms of user taxes or fees. Finally, the last section contains a summary and identification of critical research questions.

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00796898

English

p. 128-149

2000

Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings

Information Requirements for Transportation Economic Analysis

0309071240

Digital/other

Figures (2) ; References; Tables (5)

Accuracy; Data quality; Fees; Financing; Forecasting; Future; Highway transportation; Infrastructure; Investments; Research; Revenues; Taxes; Tolls; Transportation planning; User charges

Data needs

Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Research; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

TRIS, TRB

Aug 4 2000 12:00AM

• ECONOMIC EVALUATION FOR DECISION MAKING ON TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, AND POLICIES
• ESTIMATION OF REVENUES FROM USE CHARGES, TAXES, AND OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME
• HOW LEVELS OF INVESTMENT IN TRANSPORTATION AFFECT ECONOMIC HEALTH
• HOW LEVELS OF TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT AFFECT ECONOMIC HEALTH
• IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION: CANADA'S EXPERIENCE
• INFORMATION FOR TRANSPORTATION ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: STATE OF THE ART AND RELEVANCE FOR DECISION MAKING
• RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ECONOMIC INFORMATION: ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AT THE STATE, METROPOLITAN, AND PROJECT LEVELS
• RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ECONOMIC INFORMATION: RATE OF RETURN AND PRODUCTIVITY STUDIES, COMMODITY AND PASSENGER FLOW DATA, AND AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY
• RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ECONOMIC INFORMATION: TRANSPORTATION SATELLITE ACCOUNTS AND CAPITAL STOCKS ACCOUNTS
• RELEVANCE OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR DECISION MAKING: IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATING RESEARCH RESULTS
• SELECTING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS: INFORMATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
• STRATEGIES FOR MEASURING PRODUCTIVE HIGHWAY CAPITAL STOCKS
• TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS: A TOP CONCERN OF THE PUBLIC
• WHY INFORMATION MATTERS: GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• WHY INFORMATION MATTERS: WEST VIRGINIA: A RURAL POINT OF VIEW