REGIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

The evaluation of development projects definitely belongs among important tools for the solution of complicated problems of optimal allocation of public resources. In this context,the paper presents an innovative approach to the assessment of the effectiveness of road construction and improvement projects, based on a set of strategically oriented criteria relevance, usefulness, integration, stimulation and sustainability. The explanatory power of the developed assessment method was verified through the example of planned highway construction projects (eight projects) and of regional road improvement projects (11 projects) in the Czech Republic. On the basis of the synthesis of the obtained results, we have drawn up rankings showing the effectiveness of the implementation of individual projects. From an overall perspective, we can conclude that in the first group of projects, their ties to regional development play a crucial role, and in the second group of projects, their ties to residential and natural environments. The application of the assessment method can thus be considered a useful tool for decision-making on investment priorities for the development of road infrastructure.