The implementation of transport infrastructure megaprojects involves complex decision-making processes shaped by financial constraints, technical requirements, environmental commitments, and broad social expectations. In this context, conventional cost-benefit analysis remains a necessary instrument for assessing economic viability, yet it is not sufficient to capture the full range of non-monetary factors that influence project selection and prioritization. This paper examines the contribution of multi-criteria decision-making methods to the substantiation of implementation decisions for major transport infrastructure projects.

The study is positioned within the broader European policy framework defined by the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the objectives of the European Green Deal, and the need to align infrastructure investment with sustainability, territorial cohesion, interoperability, and long-term resilience. From this perspective, multi-criteria methods provide a structured analytical framework capable of integrating economic, technical, environmental, and social dimensions within a single decision model

The paper focuses on five of the most frequently used decision models in transport infrastructure evaluation: Weighted Sum Model (WSM), Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), PROMETHEE, ELECTRE, and TOPSIS. Their underlying logic, operational mechanisms, and applicability are comparatively discussed in relation to the specific characteristics of megaproject appraisal. Particular attention is given to the way these methods support the ranking of alternatives, the treatment of conflicting criteria, and the improvement of transparency in public investment decisions. In the Romanian context, the analysis also highlights the practical preference for more accessible and easily communicable approaches, especially WSM and AHP, while acknowledging the stronger analytical potential of outranking and distance-based methods for more complex evaluations.

The paper concludes that the combined use of cost-benefit analysis and multi-criteria methods can improve the robustness, transparency, and strategic consistency of implementation decisions in transport infrastructure megaprojects.