Assessing Infrastructures Alternatives: The Implementation of a Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP)

The conventional approach that often dominated spatial planning has prioritized urban expansion and new urban transport infrastructure without fully considering environmental aspects. While this has generated new urban models and economies, it has also significantly impacted the territory and landscape negatively. The construction of road infrastructure can improve the sustainability of a city from the point of view of connectivity between places. However, it also generates a disruption of the landscape with a consequent loss of ecosystem services. The case study concerns the evaluation of the preferable alternative, between two proposals, for the construction of a new road called the Teramo-Mare, connecting the Abruzzo hinterland with the Adriatic coast. The methodological approach investigates the scientific background in landscape assessment related to the construction of road infrastructures. By modelling the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) with Fuzzy set theory and the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP) an evaluation method is tested to face the choice of the preferable alternative. The study provides an initial review of the scientific reference landscape and identifying criteria to help evaluate the option that has the least impact on the landscape and ecological system.