Highway cost-benefit analysis system

In this research, a methodology for computing road user cost for various competing alternatives was developed. Also, a software was developed to calculate the road user cost, perform economic analysis and update cost tables. The methodology is based on the manual entitled A Manual on User Benefit Analysis of Highway and Bus-Transit Improvements which was published in 1977 by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. The report contains procedures for the calculation of the road user cost, perform economic analysis and further update the cost tables as and when the latest Consumer Price Indices and Producer Price Indices are available.;The software application has been developed in Visual BasicRTM 5, which interact with the cost tables, stored in MS-Excel workbook, according to the user inputs. The software application was later updated to Visual BasicRTM 6 when it was installed at WVDOH. The software application consists of two module, (1) Road User Cost Application and (2) Economic Analysis. Module 1 consists of two sub-modules, Road User Cost Calculation and Update Cost Tables and Indices. The use of this software will result in the computation of the road user cost and economic analysis in a more efficient manner. It enables the decision makers to rationally select the most desirable alternative for building and refurbishing segments of public highways