Towards Lean Transportation Infrastuctures: defining value and identifying muda

In recent years much attention and discussion have been dedicated to design and build new strategic transportation infrastructures both in developed and developing countries. However, financial turmoil and shortage of available economic resources require enhanced attention towards the planning and design of infrastructures, focusing on their value and costs. In particular, valuable infrastructures have to fulfil stakedholders’ needs and call for efficient design and realization (Cascetta, 2012). Lean Thinking, a scientific approach towards the gradual elimination of waste or muda (i.e. activities that do not add value to the customer), could be an innovative method to provide valuable infrastructures.