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Can transport infrastructure really facilitate economic activity concentration? A spatial and temporal spillover perspective

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  • Liu, Xiang
  • Hickman, Robin
  • Cao, Mengqiu
  • Tao, Yinhua

Abstract

A key unresolved research question in the field of transport and city planning is whether investment in transport infrastructure effectively affects the spatial concentration of economic activity within a city. The question becomes even more complex due to the spatial and temporal spillover effects of transport infrastructure on economic activities, as well as the variations in types of transport infrastructure and categories of economic activity. With long-term and fine-grained geospatial data, this study uses the spatial dynamic panel data approach to examine the relationship between transport infrastructure and economic activity concentration in Shanghai from 2005 to 2015. The results reveal that proximity to metro stations is more strongly associated with the concentration of service activities, whereas highways exert a more sustained and spatially extensive influence on the concentration of manufacturing activities. The findings highlight the significant yet heterogeneous impacts of transport infrastructure on urban economic spatial patterns.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Xiang & Hickman, Robin & Cao, Mengqiu & Tao, Yinhua, 2026. "Can transport infrastructure really facilitate economic activity concentration? A spatial and temporal spillover perspective," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:204:y:2026:i:c:s0965856425004641
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2025.104831
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    References listed on IDEAS

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