Allocation of priorities for national highway projects in the Netherlands

The "Meerjaren Programma Personenvervoer" (= the Multi-Year Plan for Passenger Transport (MPP)) is of particular importance for road projects. Among other things, the MPP establishes the priorities for the implementation and research planning of road projects. Since 1983 a new evaluation procedure has been used for setting priorities. Under the new system, priorities are determined in relation to projects already or about to get under way (i.e. implementation planning), and in relation to projects still requiring further study (i.e. research planning). The nature of the evaluation procedure is described. Measurement techniques for accessibbility, road safety, human envirnment, economic activity and physical planning are incorporated. For the ranking of projects multicriteria analysis (MCA) is used. This rank-order must then be interpreted in the light of the selected criteria and the weights assigned.