Optimal economic selection of road design standards for timber harvesting operations - A corrected analytical model

A theoretical development is given that corrects a long-accepted analytical model used in road system design, The model assumes that a forested area with uniform conditions of road construction is to be accessed by truck road for timber harvest. A discrete number of specified road design standards are available. Each design standard has known costs per unit length associated with road construction and use, The resulting total cost for any segment of the road when constructed to a given standard and used for timber haul depends fundamentally on the volume of timber transported over that segment. Transported volumes may vary along the length of the road, however, thus changing the associated costs, The emended economic decision rules for specifying road standards along the entire length of the road even as haul volumes change are developed. Examples are given.