Cost Functions for Transportation Systems

Abstract

A methodology for developing predesign cost estimation functions of transportation systems is developed and applied. The emphasis is on the methodology and the evaluation of the estimation equation, the goodness of which is often taken for granted in most works on the subject. The applications merely serve the purpose of illustrating its applicability. Yet, the predesign cost estimation functions developed, one for highway pavement and another for mass transportation systems, not only illustrate the point but also prove to be useful in estimating the cost of highway pavements and mass transportation systems at the stages of conceptualization or predesign or both. The methodology, when properly used, gives reliable results with few historical data.