Infrastructure improvements are a sizable investment of public funds – it makes sense that evaluating the return on investment is a good first step in determining how communities prioritize these funds. RSG recently completed an economic study assessing the impacts resulting from different rail improvement options along the Carlsbad portion of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) corridor. This study calculated the economic/fiscal effects of the different options on regional economic output including:
• Jobs created
• New development
• Property values/taxes
• Sales taxes
• Value of lives saved/accidents avoided
• Value of reductions in noise and traffic
RSG’s study is part of an overall Feasibility Study prepared by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). A link to the City of Carlsbad website that provides an overview of the Study (as well as links to the actual reports) is provided below:
http://www.carlsbadca.gov/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=1321&TargetID=61
Written by Hitta Mosesman