To provide a more in-depth analysis of potential roadway projects, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) desired a method of evaluating projects according to their economic potential without using potentially costly computer models or excessive data collection. Brigham Young University (BYU) was retained to research and recommend criteria for the economic development criteria in the project-prioritization process. A literature review was first undertaken to better understand the transportation-economic development relationship. Using the literature review, combined with the information from the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, and a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), criteria were established to evaluate the economic potential of a roadway project. The criteria were finalized using a Policy Delphi method that included the Research Team and TAC. The four aggregate criteria and one bonus criterion recommended are: 1) population and education; 2) existing infrastructure; 3) economic attractiveness; 4) tourism; and 5) the bonus: economic choke-points, which allows UDOT regions to specify a prioritized list of projects that could help increase the economic development potential of an area if those projects are built. An evaluation framework was also developed for the economic development criteria. Any project that passes the Tier I analysis is recommended to be subjected to the economic analysis of the Tier II process. The researchers recommend that once a list of passing Tier I projects is received, the list should be sent out to any participating in the expert feedback portion of the economic attractiveness scoring as well as to the UDOT regions and districts for choke-point prioritization analysis. All of the databases will be updated to provide the most up-to-date scoring possible. When all of the scores have been assigned, the projects will then be listed by highest to lowest scores. The list will then be compiled by UDOT who will present the information to the Transportation Commission in a manner that will best assist in the decision-making process. The research created a scoring evaluation for each recommended criterion. Each criterion also received a weighting. The scoring and the framework are recommended to UDOT as the economic analysis of the Tier II evaluation. The criteria are recommended to be automated in a geographic information systems (GIS) database to aid in the scoring process.

The interest in using criteria and indicators for assessing activities in relation to sustainable development is increasing. This dissertation analyses the potential for using economic criteria for assessment of urban water management in relation to sustainable development. The analysis consists of three parts. First, to analyse the basis for economic criteria, there is a need to categorise general frameworks, disciplinary theories and practical assessments in order to explore what the economic dimension of sustainable could imply, depending on general assumptions about challenges, goals and means. Consequently, a number of general frameworks, economic theories and urban water assessments were categorised. Second, based on this analysis, a set of economic criteria was chosen, consisting of maintenance of water infrastructure, affordability, cost-recovery, effectiveness and development potential. For each criterion, one or more indicators are suggested. Third, these indicators were tested in three cases from Swedish municipalities: introduction of volumetric billing in a low-income apartment area, increased water supply in a growing city and introduction of kitchen waste disposers in a city with a stagnant population. On the basis of the application, introduction of volumetric billing in a low-income area resulted in deteriorating affordability and effectiveness, whereas cost-recovery improved. Introduction of kitchen waste disposers in a stagnant area was questionable from an effectiveness viewpoint whereas the water infrastructure was well maintained. In the growing city, increased income and population determined the outcome of the affordability, cost-recovery and development potential criteria, which all improved. The study also found that using economic criteria and indicators for assessment of urban water management in relation to sustainable development requires a continuous balance between the universal and the context specific, that is, between the criteria and indicators used and the water infrastructure change being assessed. This emphasises that criteria used should relate to all dimensions of sustainable development as well as of the decisiveness of involving actors and other stakeholders in sustainable development assessments.

<p>У овој докторској дисертацији дат је предлог модела за избор оптималног положаја мини хидроелектрана на основу техничких,<br />економских и еколошких критеријума. Време писања дисертације дешава се у тренутку када се Р. Србија али и земље чланице ЕУ све више окрећу производњи електричне енергије из обновљивих извора енергије. Основни недостатак приликом планирања изградње мини<br />хидроелектрана је одређивање њиховог оптималног положаја. Поред тога што је предложен начин за избор оптималног положаја, развијен је<br />и рачунарски програм чија је основна сврха брзо одређивање оптималног положаја за изградњу мини хидроелектрана на основу претходно наведених критеријума.</p> / <p>U ovoj doktorskoj disertaciji dat je predlog modela za izbor optimalnog položaja mini hidroelektrana na osnovu tehničkih,<br />ekonomskih i ekoloških kriterijuma. Vreme pisanja disertacije dešava se u trenutku kada se R. Srbija ali i zemlje članice EU sve više okreću proizvodnji električne energije iz obnovljivih izvora energije. Osnovni nedostatak prilikom planiranja izgradnje mini<br />hidroelektrana je određivanje njihovog optimalnog položaja. Pored toga što je predložen način za izbor optimalnog položaja, razvijen je<br />i računarski program čija je osnovna svrha brzo određivanje optimalnog položaja za izgradnju mini hidroelektrana na osnovu prethodno navedenih kriterijuma.</p> / <p>In this Ph.D dissertation the model for selecting the optimal locations for<br />small hydropower plants based on technical, economic and ecological criteria<br />was proposed. Its timing is not coincidental, as it appears at the moment<br />when both the Republic of Serbia and the EU Member States are making a<br />strong shift towards the production of electric power from renewable energy<br />sources. The main shortcoming in planning the construction of small<br />hydropower power plants is the model for determining their optimal location. Along with proposing a model for selecting the optimal location, the paper<br />offers a software tool developed during the research, the basic purpose of<br />which is to quickly determine the optimal locations for the construction of<br />small hydro power plants based on the above-mentioned criteria.</p>