Identifying Citizens' Place Values for Integrated Planning of Road Infrastructure Projects

Projects for road infrastructure and spatial development easily meet public resistance because of a lack of local knowledge of place values by (often non-local) planners. The aim of this study is to explore how insights in place values might improve the local knowledge base for planners of integrated road infrastructure projects and spatial development. We developed, tested and analysed the results from a novel online value-mapping tool called the ‘Place Value Identifier’. The developed method allows us to (i) relate to ‘soft’ valuable places identified by Public Participation GIS as a complement to ‘hard’ land use data, (ii) define Valued yet Unprotected places based on combining ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ values and (iii) illustrate how these insights can be used for integrated planning of road infrastructure projects. The findings of this study show the increased potential of value mapping techniques and illustrate possible resistance areas around road infrastructure planning projects. This knowledge may assist planners in creating and selecting acceptable project alternatives that may invoke high public acceptance.