Evaluating road transport projects in the context of sustainable development

New Zealand has adopted the Resource Management Act which provides a framework for sustainable development. All projects, private and public, are required to conform to the provisions which are designed to promote “the sustainable management of physical and natural resources”. The paper outlines the principles of the New Zealand Act and then identifies some of the basic problems and inconsistencies which have appeared related to road and transport projects. It concludes that the process of evaluating road and transport projects within the context of sustainable development, requires new methodologies and ideas-some of the new technologies and in particular communication systems and information technology are expected to play a major role