4.4 Practice Assessment


4.4 Practice Assessment

This section provides examples of “emerging,” “strengthening,” and “advanced” practices with respect to calculation of initial asset value. Maturity levels are defined for each of the four approaches defined in the guidance. In the table an emerging practice is one that supports the guidance with minimal complexity, an advanced practice illustrates a “state of the art” example in which an agency has addressed some aspect of the asset value calculation in a comprehensive manner, and strengthening practice lies between these two levels.

This section provides examples of “emerging,” “strengthening,” and “advanced” practices with respect to calculation of initial asset value. Maturity levels are defined for each of the four approaches defined in the guidance. In the table an emerging practice is one that supports the guidance with minimal complexity, an advanced practice illustrates a “state of the art” example in which an agency has addressed some aspect of the asset value calculation in a comprehensive manner, and strengthening practice lies between these two levels.

Practice Area
Maturity Level
Description

Replacement Cost Calculation
Emerging

Unit replacement costs are established by asset class/component using expert judgement and/or industry defaults.


Strengthening

Unit replacement costs are established through a one-time analysis of project data and updated in subsequent years based on inflation.


Advanced

Unit replacement costs are established through a well-documented process that includes: analysis of project data; assessment of how assets should be grouped for analysis (e.g., by system, material and/or surface type); and a defined update cycle (e.g., once every 1 to 2 years).


Historic Cost Calculation
Emerging

Neither historic costs nor asset age can be reliably obtained at an asset level. Overall expenditures by work type and system are used as the basis for calculating asset value without relating expenditures to specific assets.


Strengthening

An asset inventory is available detailing asset age. Historic costs are not reliably tracked by asset but can be estimated using unit replacement costs and asset age


Advanced

Actual costs of construction/asset purchases are tracked by asset.


Market Value Calculation
Emerging

Market value is estimated based on expert judgement and/or industry defaults.


Strengthening

Market value is established through a one-time analysis of asset resale or other data and updated in subsequent years based on inflation.


Advanced

Market value is established through a well-documented process that includes: analysis of asset resale or other data; assessment of how assets should be grouped for analysis (e.g., by system, material and/or surface type); and a defined update cycle (e.g., once every 1 to 2 years).


Economic Value Calculation
Emerging

Calculations of economic value rely on estimates of detour distance and speed to estimate changes in user costs from addition or removal of an asset, but do not attempt to quantify the impact of changes in travel demand.


Strengthening

Calculations of economic value rely on estimates of detour distance and speed to calculate changes in user costs from addition or removal of an asset. The elasticity of travel demand is used to estimate changes in traffic volumes.


Advanced

Calculations of economic value utilize travel demand models to quantify impacts of potential changes to the network from addition or removal of an asset.