In the field of transport infrastructures, a significant participation of private capital through project financing still represents a determining factor for their construction, provided that it is supplemented by a lessening of what has been conveniently described as "the Vietnam of public works", that is the failure in reducing the risks associated with restrictive, bureaucratic regulations. However, I am convinced that if we reflect on the goals of economic efficiency and effectiveness in the use of public resources always needed in different amounts, it is possible to work with greater carefulness by devising and implementing a 'correct' transport infrastructural policy.
As an example, I’ll concentrate on the case of an already existing transport infrastructure. In pursuing the objectives just stated, I note the serious and frequent methodological planning error that takes place when it is thought to be impossible to postpone the construction of a new infrastructure leaving unexplored the implementation of current technological devices capable to assure the exploitation of the entire capacity of the present infrastructure in order to meet the occasional peaks of transport demand.
Frequently, we are wedged by the so-called ‘long-term planning syndrome' when it is supposed that the present infrastructure is already completely congested and therefore it is unavoidable to construct a new one straightaway, while it is apparently forgotten that the use of the technological devices available is by far less expensive than the construction of a new road or rail, mostly when special engineering works are needed such as tunnels or over-bridges. In this regard it is suitable to remember that only one km or mile of an highway or a railroad (especially for high speed) may request several million of euros or dollars! Then, by adopting what I believe to be a more efficient approach for the use of the worldwide scarce public resources, it is possible to realize that - dealing with occasional peaks of demand - public authorities and the whole community become aware that more cost-efficient policies are implemented, contrary to the original very expensive decision to go on right away with the construction of a new infrastructure. Public resources that may derive from such a sensible attitude would bring about considerable amounts of financial funds. There would be no more excuses to purse an economically efficient policy for transport infrastructural networks to benefit the geographical areas that desperately need them and for the provision of other services urgently needed by a community.
The purpose of this research is to examine, in the light of the regulatory principles of substantial rationality and of functional rationality, the behaviour of the public administration when that behaviour is expressed in measures for the determination of transportation policy in underdeveloped regions. Accordingly, a decision or an action is substantially rational when it takes account the possibilities and limitations of a given situation and provides for reorganization in such a manner as to generate, increase or preservation of the advantages. An organization is functionally rational when it is structured in order coherently and securely capable to generate, increase or maintain the benefits.
The approach to the formulation of the related analysis may differ as a consequence of having indicated substantial and functional rationality as a reference criterion not only for the evaluation of the behaviour of the local authority, but also as a guideline for research into basic rational elements pertaining to specific planning in the transport industry.
This is so insofar as it concentrates attention on the general propositions that constitutes the compendium of various types of rationality inherent in the decision making process. This implies the possibility of a way of overcoming the character of partiality deriving from the assumption of one or another criterion of rationality as a yardstick for the evaluation of the behaviour of the local authority on the occasion of the formulation of transportation policy; it also implies the possibility of obviating the impasse arising from situations in which there exists inconsistency among some of the partial rationality criteria, whether technical, economic, social, juridical or political.
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