Quantification of barrier effects of transport infrastructure

Important results from the project

The goal of the project was to develop a GIS-based method for quantifying the barrier effects of transport infrastructure that can be used in the early stages of transport and urban planning projects. The method will make it possible to quantify barrier effects in relation to the compliance with the policy goals that guide the operations of Swedish Transport Administration. The project aimed to make visible the negative impacts that barriers have in society.

Expected long term effects

The project has resulted in a model of the determinants of barrier effects, an overview of barrier effects, a catalog of indicators for barrier effects, a demonstration of how four of these indicators can be used in practice and a description of the process of assessing barrier effects in a large-scale infrastructure project. With these tools and insights, the barrier effects of transport infrastructure can be quantified, and can these effects be taken into consideration in decision-making, which can contribute to the prioritization of the reduction of barrier effects.

Approach and implementation

The project has consisted of a case study of how indicators can be adapted to the needs of different social groups, a literature study of 60 years of barrier effect research and an action research project where officials from e.g. the municipality and the Swedish Transport Administration participating in a high-speed rail project have been interviewed about the process of assessing barrier effects.