Integrated spatial economic and travel demand modeling framework for transportation infrastructure impact assessment

This study presents an integrated spatial economic and travel demand modeling framework for quantifying the monetary benefits of transportation infrastructure, an essential element of project impact assessment. Building on existing literature in spatial economic modeling (SEM), the study enhances current practices by integrating a SEM with a regional travel demand model to simulate the interactions among land use, accessibility, and economic activity. Rather than focusing solely on direct travel-related benefits, the framework captures broader and more nuanced economic effects, including productivity gains, land use shifts, and improved market access. The framework is applied to a representative infrastructure scenario in Alberta to illustrate its practical utility. The results demonstrate the value of combining spatial economic theory with empirical modeling to generate geographically detailed and policy-relevant economic impact estimates. This approach supports more comprehensive and data-informed investment evaluations aligned with regional planning and decision-making criteria.