Literature Review of Methods to Determine Road User Costs in Construction Zones

As freeway construction increases with the need to expand, repair and maintain the existing infrastructure, the desire to quantify the inconvenience or delay costs to the user of the freeway undergoing-construction has increased and become necessary to assist in determining total project impact costs and determine penalties or lane rentals to contractors. This paper will review critical variables which impact delay costs, delay avoidance strategies and various methods and models developed to quantifying these costs. Overall, the amount of research specifically in this area is limited as interest is just beginning to rise in quantifying these costs. However, numerous studies have been completed in the past in related areas which will be reviewed for their applicability to this project. State Departments of Transportation need to determine impact costs to develop freeway projects in the most cost effective manner. The methods used in project sequencing, scheduling, and work hours must provide the least impact to the traveling public without incurring excessive costs to the project. Businesses which rely on freeways to deliver their goods and services can be particularly impacted. The inability to deliver goods and services on time begins to have significant impacts in this era where – more companies are shifting to just-in-time delivery methods to reduce costs, particularly inventory storage costs. Companies with perishable goods are also at significant risk if these goods cannot be delivered to consumers with sufficient shelf live remaining. – Freeway users not involved in business are also impacted by construction delays. While these costs are much more difficult to quantify, the user definitely experiences frustration and a sense that time is being wasted while waiting to bypass constricted areas on the freeway.