All aboard? A decision-making instrument for the future of the Brussels North-South railway connection
Administrative complexity is a major challenge in the planning of large-scale projects in Brussels. For want of an overarching authority, multiple actors with different functions or powers have to make and implement a concerted decision. The COMCA method is used to determine the support for multi-ac...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles
2018-05-01
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| Series: | Brussels Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/1675 |
| _version_ | 1818317165140377600 |
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| author | Geert te Boveldt Cathy Macharis |
| author_facet | Geert te Boveldt Cathy Macharis |
| author_sort | Geert te Boveldt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Administrative complexity is a major challenge in the planning of large-scale projects in Brussels. For want of an overarching authority, multiple actors with different functions or powers have to make and implement a concerted decision. The COMCA method is used to determine the support for multi-actor, multi-level projects and thus to assist policy makers in their decisions. The various players are classified according to their role in the project. Project alternatives are assessed on criteria established by each of the actors. The desirability of each alternative is evaluated for each actor, but also for every group of actors responsible for a specific task in the project. This article describes how the method was applied as a participatory component in a study on infrastructural alternatives for the Brussels North-South rail link. Variants allowing for new rail links appear to be more promising for further study than the frequently examined doubling variants of the current North-South axis. However, the purpose of the application at this stage is not to offer a final solution, but to design an evaluation and consultation structure that provides input for the political decision-making process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T09:32:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b682bee683dd4240bf5f93163727dd8e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2031-0293 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T09:32:59Z |
| publishDate | 2018-05-01 |
| publisher | Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brussels Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-b682bee683dd4240bf5f93163727dd8e2022-12-21T23:52:27ZengUniversité Saint-Louis BruxellesBrussels Studies2031-02932018-05-0110.4000/brussels.1675All aboard? A decision-making instrument for the future of the Brussels North-South railway connectionGeert te BoveldtCathy MacharisAdministrative complexity is a major challenge in the planning of large-scale projects in Brussels. For want of an overarching authority, multiple actors with different functions or powers have to make and implement a concerted decision. The COMCA method is used to determine the support for multi-actor, multi-level projects and thus to assist policy makers in their decisions. The various players are classified according to their role in the project. Project alternatives are assessed on criteria established by each of the actors. The desirability of each alternative is evaluated for each actor, but also for every group of actors responsible for a specific task in the project. This article describes how the method was applied as a participatory component in a study on infrastructural alternatives for the Brussels North-South rail link. Variants allowing for new rail links appear to be more promising for further study than the frequently examined doubling variants of the current North-South axis. However, the purpose of the application at this stage is not to offer a final solution, but to design an evaluation and consultation structure that provides input for the political decision-making process.http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/1675institutionsland use planningmetropolitan areamobilitypublic transportregional policy |
| spellingShingle | Geert te Boveldt Cathy Macharis All aboard? A decision-making instrument for the future of the Brussels North-South railway connection Brussels Studies institutions land use planning metropolitan area mobility public transport regional policy |
| title | All aboard? A decision-making instrument for the future of the Brussels North-South railway connection |
| title_full | All aboard? A decision-making instrument for the future of the Brussels North-South railway connection |
| title_fullStr | All aboard? A decision-making instrument for the future of the Brussels North-South railway connection |
| title_full_unstemmed | All aboard? A decision-making instrument for the future of the Brussels North-South railway connection |
| title_short | All aboard? A decision-making instrument for the future of the Brussels North-South railway connection |
| title_sort | all aboard a decision making instrument for the future of the brussels north south railway connection |
| topic | institutions land use planning metropolitan area mobility public transport regional policy |
| url | http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/1675 |
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