North Dakota Rail Line Segment Benefit Cost Model

Download or read book North Dakota Rail Line-segment Benefit-cost Model written by Denver D. Tolliver and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 27 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Each year, the state of North Dakota invests substantial sums of money in the rehabilitation of light-density rail lines. The funds are either drawn from a revolving loan account maintained by the North Dakota State Highway Department (NDSHD), or consist of federal grants under the Local Rail Services Assistance Act. In investing rail funds, the NDSHD is the guardian of the public interest. The scarce funds are invested so that they improve the economic welfare of the state, yielding positive or net societal benefits. An economic analysis of each potential project is typically undertaken, which assesses the benefits and costs of each alternative. The analyses are performed with the assistance of a computer model developed and maintained at the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI). The purpose of this paper is to highlight the scope, functions, and history of the rail analysis process, and to describe two technical publications which detail the methodology and data requirements.