OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS AND VALUE ENGINEERING IN DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING AT TRANSPORT PLANNING

Transportation planning and improvement of infrastructure for the system is one of the most crucial factors particularly for urban areas, where high level and rapid urbanisation is going on. The demand for transportation in urban area is associated with choices of location of residence by people in relation to places of work, shopping, recreational facilities, educational institutions and other important activities. Transportation planning involves the determination of the need for new or expanded highways, transit systems, freight facilities, and transportation terminals, their location, their capacity and the management of their demand. It also involves complex forecasts of human behaviour and economic conditions into the next ten to thirty years. Many assumptions are needed to develop these forecasts and it is unlikely that all of these assumptions will prove to be correct. This is because forecasts can give reasonable results if they are based on good data and reasonable assumptions. It is therefore important that the assumptions behind a planning effort be clearly stated and that a reasonable range of future conditions be examined. The differences between alternatives are likely to be more accurate than the absolute values. These differences should be the basis for decision making (Beimborn, n.d.) but the focus of planners should not only be on transportation planning models that is technically efficient and effective but flexible, technologically driven and economically beneficial. This means a blend of high engineering and technological precision in delivery with resounding economic efficiency. The purpose of this article therefore, is to provide understanding of the transportation planning, using of operational analysis methods and value engineering methods. This has the potential of improving planning efficiency, effectiveness in the deliveries within operations and the overall economic benefits to all stakeholders within the transportation services projects