Compactness of the ordinance-designated city composed by merger：

Evaluation of the location of wards offices in Niigata city

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the location of wards and their office in view of the efficiency of the administrative service in Niigata city. Niigata city has become ordinance-designated city in April 2007. This evaluation uses cost benefit analysis which is based on the travel cost and the administrative cost. We clarified that the travel cost can be use to evaluate the benefit of the administrative service. The empirical analysis shows that the location of administrative wards in Niigata city is good because of the minimization of the travel cost and benefit for citizens.