Method to secure fulfilment of environmental goals in road and rail infrastructure planning

Important results from the project

The aim of this project was to develop methodologies to ensure increased compliance with the national transport consideration[1] objective and four transport related environmental quality objectives in the planning process of railway and road projects. By studying 8 cases of planning major transport infrastructure projects (both road and rail), we have gained an increased understanding of how goal and target management (identification, prioritization, follow-up, etc.) currently is done and can be developed into practice. We have identified shortcomings and possible measures

Expected long term effects

Two main results: 1) In the current planning process, too little focus is placed on two of the parts of the consideration goal, i.e. on environmental and health, in the planning of infrastructure projects; 2) almost all focus is placed on the functional objective focusing on increased availability but partly also on security. Goals for the environment and health and other soft values also need to be entered earlier in the planning process in order to achieve greater transport goal achievement. More findings is available in the article manuscripts and will become available when published.

Approach and implementation

Within the framework of the project, we have written three scientific articles and one report based on the study of 8 major transport infrastructure projects (the City Tunnel, the North link, E4-Sundsvall, E6-Tanum, two cases of high-speed railway and a motorway in Hungary and a high-speed railway in Estonia). The basis for our analysis, findings and conclusions, are two expert workshops that we have conducted during the course of the project, a number of interviews and document analysis, and our studies on relevant literature.