Book Description

As part of the National Highway Policy Study for Canada, this report provides a short review for comparative purposes of national approaches to the provision and operation of road networks in several countries, including the USA, the Federal Republic of Germany, Australia, Italy, France, Spain and Great Britain. The review attempts to outline briefly the background information of each country pertinent to road and highway development. The paper then summarizes each country's efforts at developing national highway networks, policies and mechanisms. The roles and responsibilities of governments in each country for the provision and operation of roads and highways is reviewed and the levels of support for highways be each level of government is broadly examined. The paper concludes with some comparisons between other countries and the Canadian highway transportation situation. The conclusions of the review suggest that from a national viewpoint, Canada has not shared other countries' clear recognition of the importance of adequate highway transportation facilities for the movement of passengers and freight. While other countries have seen a strong and continuing federal or central government role in the provision of national highway facilities, Canada has attempted to deal with the construction and maintenance of adequate highways on a strictly provincial basis with little or no reference to national interests. The report concludes that if Canada hopes to remain competitive internationally in highway transportation, some rethinking in this area of public policy is in order. (For summary reports on the first three phases of the National Highway Policy Study for Canada, see IRRD 807292, 807413 and 807525.).