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Does roadwork improve road speed? Evidence from urban freeways in California

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  • Kim, Jinwon

Abstract

This paper estimates the effects of roadwork on road speed and traffic volume using panel data from urban freeways in California. The empirical model is specified to identify the dynamic responses of road speed and traffic volume to a shift in the cost curve generated by roadwork. The estimates indicate that roadwork increases road speed shortly after the roadwork is completed, but this effect does not last longer than one year. Traffic volume does not immediately respond to roadwork but does increase after around one year. These empirical results support the “induced-demand hypothesis” of Downs (1962, 1992). This paper also quantifies the time-cost savings of roadwork to evaluate public spending on freeways. It is concluded that the congestion-relieving effect of roadwork alone is not enough to justify the state's large expenditures on roadwork.

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  • Kim, Jinwon, 2022. "Does roadwork improve road speed? Evidence from urban freeways in California," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:regeco:v:93:y:2022:i:c:s0166046222000047
    DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2022.103773
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    Cited by:

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Traffic volume; Speed; Roadwork; Lane closure; Traffic congestion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • R48 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Government Pricing and Policy

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