Cost per User as Key Factor

Efforts to accommodate increasing and dispersed demand for travel in the face of mounting traffic congestion, escalating construction costs, lim ited right ~ ofway, and diminished air quality have caused planning agen cies to adopt plans that would enhance transit choices. Faced with fiscal limitations, the need to prioritize the ever-growing list of improvement projects is paramount. To meet this need in the development of the Bay Area System Plan for Regional Express Bus Service in California, a survey ofexisting literature on capital investment prioritization in trans portation was conducted. This review led to development ofa simple pri oritization methodology with which to analyze the projects. Unit costs per ride were calculated to facilitate comparisons between the various proposals. The cost estimation procedure involved a systematic sequence of analyses that included the development and quantification of concep tual design elements, application of unit capital as weil as operation and maintemlllce costs, and matching of annualized costs with annual ride