Book Description

This is the first in a series of six research reports focusing on the process of preparing and evaluating feasibility studies for private toll road projects in Texas. At present, one of the requirements for preliminary approval of a private toll road by the Texas Transportation Commission is that the Commission must find, on the basis of a feasibility study submitted by the sponsors of a private toll road project, that the project will be financially viable. An attempt to evaluate the financial viability of one private toll road project seeking preliminary approval by the Commission revealed some problems in the evaluation process, stemming from an inadequate list of the data and information that should be included in the required feasibility study, and an imprecise definition of financial viability. The overall objective of this research project is to develop improved procedures for TxDOT's use in determining whether a proposed private toll road project will be financially viable. This report describes the data and information that other states, investment banks, and rating agencies require in feasibility studies for private toll roads.