Date: June 17, 2005

CENG 731: Planning and Economic Evaluation of Transport Projects

Instructor: Alemayehu Ambo

FINAL EXAMINATION
(Take-Home for 72 Hours: 18/06/05-20/06/05)

Answer both questions in Section I and any two questions in Section II.

SECTION I

1. The Ethiopian Government is planning to build a fuel processing plant for the
production of ethanol through chemical combination of petrol and molasses in order
to reduce the importation of fuel at the same time to increase its supply within the
country.

Two alternative locations are considered to build the plant: Modjo and Ambo. There
are three sugar factories in the country that can supply the required amount of
molasses: Metehara, Wonji and Finchaa. Considering transport as a major factor in
decision making, describe how you would conduct a comparative analysis in order to
justify the selection of one of the two locations.

2. Choose one of the following organizations and describe how you would
establish a Transportation Asset Management System within it in order to enhance
its efficiency and effectiveness.

(i) Ethiopian Roads Authority

(ii) Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority
(iii) Ethiopian Airlines
(iv) Ethio-Djibouti Railway
(v) Marine Transport Authority

1
 SECTION II

3. You have been assigned to carry out an Urban Transportation Study for the
City of Addis Ababa. Explain how you would execute your assignment.

4. You have been recruited as a Consultant/Transportation Engineer by a

Multilateral Bank. The purpose of your recruitment is to join a mission travelling to a
borrowing country in order to prepare a bankable project for financing. What are the
key factors you would consider in the preparation of the report?

5. Explain how you would estimate the following:

(i) AADT
(ii) ESAL
(iii) PCE
(iii) Farm-gate Price
(iv) Life-cycle Costs

6. In a tropical country, there is an existing paved road located between two

towns, Town A and Town B. The condition of the road is very bad and thus, the
government is considering its improvement through rehabilitation. In this regard, you
have been assigned to carry out the economic feasibility study of the road. What kind
of data would you collect and how would you carry out the economic analysis of the
road and test its viability?