Evaluation of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Infrastructure and Public Works Program Projects

ARC commissioned this evaluation of infrastructure and public works projects in order to determine the extent to which these projects have achieved their originally stated objectives. Ninety-nine projects were examined in this study; all were initiated and completed between 1990 and 1997. Total ARC funding for these projects was $32.4 million. These infrastructure projects represent a range of the different types of projects typically funded by the Commission, including industrial parks and sites, water and sewer systems, access roads, and business incubators. The report evaluates outcomes in terms of job creation and personal income impacts for each type of project, as well as the indirect effects attributable to the projects.