Environmental and Economic Impacts of Road Infrastructure Development: Dynamic Considerations and Policies

The traditional techniques employed in the development of road infrastructure projects consume large amounts of energy and nonrenewable resources. This paper evaluates some consequences of roadway construction and maintenance processes by comparing the expenditures and emissions generated by both traditional techniques and more sustainable alternatives. Using a system dynamics (SD) approach, this study presents a model capable of reproducing the deterioration processes of the Chilean road network and calculating the carbon emissions and costs associated with pavement-related interventions. Results of a counterfactual analysis suggest that employing sustainable practices in maintenance and rehabilitation activities has a greater impact on costs and emissions than exclusively focusing on the use of green techniques in new construction projects. It also shows that road network conditions can be improved if higher priority is given to road maintenance rather than rehabilitation. The proposed model can be used as a tool to develop infrastructure policies and opens the door to further research focused on green interventions for existing road networks worldwide.