Cross-asset prioritization model for transportation projects using multi-attribute utility theory: a case study

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), enacted by the US Congress in 2012, establishes seven national infrastructure performance goals that must be considered during funding allocation procedures by state transportation agencies (STAs). These goals' wide range of aspects creates situations where STAs have to deal with conflicting objectives without formal trade-off mechanisms, forcing them to make investments that might be difficult to justify to stakeholders. Moreover, STAs strive to create standard performance metrics that allow the comparison of investment alternatives among different groups of assets. This paper presents a case study on applying a Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) model to make trade-offs among conflicting objectives in different types of transportation construction projects. The case study was conducted on ten construction projects executed by the Iowa Department of Transportation. The case study shows how the proposed MAUT model can be used as an objective mechanism to prioritize infrastructure projects across asset classes to provide the necessary justification for infrastructure policy decision-making.