published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Bibliography: leaves 157-162. / by Bizhan Azad. / M.S.

My dissertation is a study of the conditions under which state-owned enterprises improve infrastructure services--transport, energy, and water--particularly in developing countries. This research is relevant because, despite successful privatization of infrastructure that yielded over trillion and a half dollars in investments since 1990, infrastructure provision remains dominated by state-owned enterprises (Estache & Fay, 2007; Gomez-Ibanez, 2003). The OECD estimates that over the next two decades, US $35 to 40 trillion will be required to meet the global infrastructure deficit. At least half of this investment will be made by governments, particularly in, but not limited to, developing countries (OECD, 2007). In contrast to conventional wisdom, my research identifies mechanisms for reforming public infrastructure utilities through a new recipe for an inclusive reform framework that, unlike the textbook approach, jointly optimizes equity and efficiency without privatization. This dissertation contrasts the world's largest public utility, the Indian Railways, with the ideal-type textbook privatization, illustrated with the case of the British Railways' privatization. I focus on the Indian Railways as a paradigmatic example of how to reform infrastructure-providing state-owned enterprises while balancing equity with efficiency concerns. I analyze primary data gathered through 100 in-depth interviews and on-site observations. The fieldwork was conducted over a period of two years, including half a year at the Office of the Minister for Indian Railways. In addition, I utilize secondary data through archival review of policy documents and analyze fifty years of the Railways' statistics. My dissertation shows how the Indian Railways was transformed, between 2005-2008, counter intuitively, without privatization, retrenchment, or fare-hikes for poor passengers, under the leadership of a populist politician, the then Minister of Railways. I explain how the Railways' was rescued from near bankruptcy in 2001 to realize US $6 billion annual surplus in 2008. An essential element of the Indian Railway's complex strategy was to leverage existing assets by operating faster, longer, and heavier trains on the supply-side, as opposed to investing in asset accumulation. On the demand-side, the Railways shed a monopoly mind-set in favor of customer centric, dynamic, and differential pricing and service provision. Based on the positive case of Indian Railways, I derive an equitable alternative to infrastructure reform: A tripartite inclusive reform framework--diagnostic, invention, and agency. First, crafting space for reform by diagnosis and navigation of conflicting and competing interest groups to isolate apolitical variables that jointly increase efficiency and equity outcomes. Second, reinventing reforms by focusing on all manipulable variables for supply optimization and demand responsiveness, because profit in public utilities is a function of several manipulable variables, not only fares and wages. Third, agency, through radical incrementalism, an approach to minimize the risk of catastrophic errors, and yet yield rapid transformations.

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Vita. / Bibliography: leaves 329-333. / by Jonathan Edward David Richmond. / M.C.P.

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH / Includes bibliographical references. / by Pamela Marshall Lebeaux. / M.C.P.

This dissertation is a case study of the history of urban transportation policy in Portland, Oregon, between 1872 and 1970. The emphasis is on mass transit policy formulated and implemented by the private and public sectors as response to crises within both the local transit industry and the urban political economy. These crises are placed in the context of the continuing conflict between the industry's right to profit and its obligation to meet the competing demands of its constituencies: ridership's demands for low fares and comprehensive service; labor's demands for competitive wages; downtown businesses' demands for peak-hour service; and the regulatory demands imposed by the city and state. The development of Portland's mass transit policy is presented within the larger context of urban transportation policy and planning in general and is compared with the experiences of other cities throughout the country. This study concludes the primary crises that defined urban transportation policy in Portland can be divided into two types. Those that existed during the period of private ownership arose from the conflicting demands of the various actors in the transportation policy process. There were also those crises that arose just prior to and during the transition to public ownership: in addition to the traditional conflicts that had been present--labor, ridership, the city--there were new elements of conflict between the central city and the growing suburbs. This study also concludes that the decline of transit began in 1919 and that the roots of this decline lie in the structure of the industry, its place in the local political economy, and in its inherently antagonistic relationship with the city. While the use of the automobile, suburbanization, and highway development were all significant factors in accelerating transit's decline, they alone do not explain transit's decline. Finally, this study concludes that in the Portland case, it was a combination of several factors that worked together to facilitate the implementation of public ownership and operation of transit in Portland, including growing concern about the weakening economic strength of the central city and the availability of new sources of implementation funding.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 154-162).

The Georgia Transportation Investment Act of 2010 divided Georgia into twelve special tax district regions granting each region the ability to vote for a region specific 1% sales tax for a ten year period. Drawing new boundaries, the legislation provided the state the ability to bypass the usual county and city politics and decision making which typically drives transportation investment in Georgia. In nine of the twelve regions, the sales tax referendum was defeated. Despite hopeful polling numbers, the Atlanta region overwhelmingly rejected the sales tax referendum with only 38% in favor. This thesis presents a case study of the Atlanta region, identified as the most diverse and complex region created by the legislation. Geographic voter results for the Atlanta region suggest a division between urban and suburban interests. The geographic results show a radial trend of increased no votes as the distance from the center of the city increased. Not one county of the 10-County region voted in favor of the referendum. Notably, the city of Atlanta passed the referendum 58 to 42 percent. Beginning over a year before until five months following the public referendum, 48 interviews were conducted. Participants included a mix of legislators with various levels of involvement in the drafting of the legislation, high level officials of multiple transportation agencies, local politicians involved in the project selection process, representatives from the business community, members of the campaign, and prominent members of the opposition. Those interviewed identified a number of contributing factors to the failure of the referendum. However, the consensus among those interviewed was that not one of the factors caused the failure of the referendum. Instead, the referendum was significantly influenced by overarching national issues such as the economy, the anti-tax movement, the looming presidential election, and distrust with all levels of government. These were the driving force in a "perfect storm" of factors which led to the ultimate failure of the referendum on July 31, 2012. This thesis provides lessons learned and strategies for the Atlanta region to implement during a future attempt. In addition, recommendations are provided for other regions in the nation looking to attempt similar referenda. Currently, the Atlanta region remains in a "transportation crisis." Given political barriers, the next attempt is likely a decade away. Until a new transportation funding source is acquired, the Atlanta region will continue toward a path of limited funding and increased congestion, losing businesses and talent to regions that are addressing their transportation issues.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning