Dimension

Value

Implementation drivers for integrated planning

This dimension gives an overview of state of art models and approaches to assess value (e.g. Cost-Benefit Analysis; Life-Cycle Assessment; Environmental Impact Assessment), to create value (including accessibility) and capture value in combined infrastructure and spatial development (projects).

This dimension relates to creating value, assessing value and capture value.

In the Vital Nodes toolbox we collect state-of-the-art models and approaches to assess value – e.g. Social Cost-Benefit Analysis, Life-Cycle Assessment, Environmental Assessment (EIA, SEA) – to create value and capture value in combined infrastructure and spatial development projects. Regarding freight and logistics, the value dimension relates closely to the importance of value-added logistics in urban freight transport chains. An optimised freight transport network links seamlessly the national/regional level with the urban level in transshipment points.

These locations (e.g. Urban Consolidation Centers – UCC) could become viable as value is added to the products transshipped there. More in general, investments in transport infrastructure and logistics enhance accessibility of locations, beneficial to socio-economic development. This should be balanced with the potential negative impact of infrastructures and freight logistic flows at which spatial and environmental quality are important – relating this to the spatial dimension. Better coordination between transport infrastructure, freight logistics and spatial development provides socio-economic value not only within cities (enhanced competitiveness at intra-urban level; of one urban node) but also between cities (at inter-urban level). Urban regions that are well connected by multi-modal infrastructure may act as one big agglomeration providing enhanced competitiveness – they ‘borrow size’ – which is relevant when integrating urban areas and network corridors.