Eno Releases Paper on Transportation Economic Impact Analysis

The Eno Center for Transportation released a new publication entitled "Better Use of Public Dollars: Economic Impact Analysis in Transportation Decision Making" at an event held at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC). The paper focuses on measuring economic impacts as a component of the transportation decision-making process. The paper uses federal and state case studies to examine how economic impact analyses can help to increase accountability and transparency, and it proposes policy changes that can further their application.

“This research shows how four states – Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, and Michigan – used economic analysis to improve their transportation investment decisions and increase public support for their transportation programs,” said Joshua Schank, president and CEO of the Eno Center for Transportation.

This first annual William P. Eno Research Paper, a paper competition among Eno’s Leadership Development Conference Fellows, was authored by 2011 Eno Fellow and Texas A&M Graduate Nicholas Norboge. To be chosen, authors must show the ability to provide well-documented, specific and realistic recommendations for strategies to improve transportation. The goal of the paper is to expose students to the complex nature of transportation policymaking while also contributing productivity to the transportation policy discussion.

Following the paper presentation by Norboge, the event continued with a discussion panel of top experts from the transportation industry. Panelists included:

Adam Snider, Transportation Reporter, POLITCO (moderator)

Mortimer Downey, Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation and member of the Eno Board of Directors

Tyler Duvall, Former Acting Under Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation and member of the Eno Board of Advisors

Susan Binder, Senior Associate, Cambridge Systematics

Charles Hulten, Professor of Economics, University of Maryland

View the Paper