A town engineer comes to the town council with a proposal to build a traffic light at a certain intersection that currently has a stop sign.The benefit of the traffic light is increased safety: it will reduce the incidence of fatal traffic accidents by 50 percent per year.Which decision can be made regarding this project
A)The project should definitely be accepted.
B)The decision to install the light is likely to require an evaluation of the trade-off between the worth of human life and the lost time waiting for the light to change signals.
C)The full cost of the traffic light will be relatively small since it only includes the purchase and installation costs.
D)The cost will invariably outweigh the benefit.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The proposal to install a traffic light will require an evaluation of the trade-off between the worth of human life saved and the cost of the time lost waiting for the light to change signals. While increased safety may be a significant benefit, the cost of installing and maintaining the traffic light must also be considered to determine if the project is justifiable. Therefore, option B is the best choice as it acknowledges the need for cost-benefit analysis before making a decision on the project.

A Town Engineer Comes to the Town Council with a Proposal