Governments Struggle to Optimize Transport Infrastructure Investments, Risking Waste and Misallocation
The article discusses how to make investments in transport infrastructure more efficient. It looks at different ways to organize these investments, like public enterprises or partnerships between public and private entities. The focus is on Australia's experiences with these arrangements and the challenges they face in balancing investment needs. The paper highlights problems like gaming regulations, pressure for too much investment, and difficulties in sharing risks. It also talks about how recent trends in evaluating investments may lead to overestimating benefits, which can influence decision-making on projects.