GIS as a Support Tool for Sensitivity and Decision-Making Analysis for Transport Infrastructure Development

Abstract

The sustainable implementation of highway projects requires a sensitivity analysis of the terrain and all of its components that have a direct influence on road design, construction and operation. The result of this inquiry involving GIS techniques and methods regarding environmental and economic factors helps in choosing the optimal road route, in order to meet the real-world connectivity requirements. The sensitivity analysis can be applied to road and rail infrastructure projects, aiming to develop a decision-making tool that can be employed by their potential beneficiaries, according to their purposes and interests. This paper aims to create an objective decision-making tool for transport infrastructure development in correlation with the current needs of society regarding the development of transport infrastructure in an economic sustainable manner with low environmental impact. Furthermore, the study tries to identify the best highway corridor in an area with environmental constraints (especially geomorphological), that is in balance with both environment and financial resources.