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Investing in rural infrastructure

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  • William F. Fox
  • Sanela Porca

Abstract

Infrastructure is best envisioned as services that come from a set of public works, not as physical facilities. In concept, infrastructure can expand rural economies by raising productivity levels, allowing expansion in the use of other resources, and attracting resources. Empirical research evidences that at the margin, the net effect of the three factors is for infrastructure to have only a modest effect on economic performance. Infrastructure investments will normally have their biggest impact in economically integrated and intermediate rural areas. Nonetheless, a basic complement of infrastructure is essential to support economic activity, but this set should be seen as accommodating rather than causing growth. Local, market-based approaches are normally the best way to develop the infrastructure and to ensure that an area has the basic infrastructure that can be maintained, supported, and used effectively.
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  • William F. Fox & Sanela Porca, 2000. "Investing in rural infrastructure," Proceedings – Rural and Agricultural Conferences, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, issue Oct, pages 63-89.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedkrc:y:2000:i:oct:p:63-89
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    Cited by:

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    2. Sathisha & Katti Medhavini S, 2023. "Examine the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) in Karnataka," Logistics, Supply Chain, Sustainability and Global Challenges, Sciendo, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Edward J. Malecki, 2001. "Going digital in rural America," Proceedings – Rural and Agricultural Conferences, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, issue Sep, pages 49-68.
    4. Leck, Eran & Bekhor, Shlomo & Gat, Daniel, 2008. "Equity Impacts of Transportation Improvements On Core and Peripheral Cities," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 1(2), pages 153-182.
    5. Brian Dabson, 2001. "Supporting rural entrepreneurship," Proceedings – Rural and Agricultural Conferences, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, issue Sep, pages 35-47.
    6. Dagney Faulk & Michael Hicks, 2010. "The Economic Effects of Bus Transit in Small Cities," Public Finance Review, , vol. 38(5), pages 513-539, September.
    7. Deller, Steven & Whitacre, Brian, 2018. "Broadband’s Relationship to Rural Housing Values," Staff Paper Series 591, University of Wisconsin, Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    8. repec:oup:ajagec:v:99:y:2017:i:1:p:1-18. is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Moss, Timothy, 2011. "Planung technischer Infrastruktur für die Raumentwicklung: Ansprüche und Herausforderungen in Deutschland," Forschungs- und Sitzungsberichte der ARL: Aufsätze, in: Tietz, Hans-Peter & Hühner, Tanja (ed.), Zukunftsfähige Infrastruktur und Raumentwicklung: Handlungserfordernisse für Ver- und Entsorgungssysteme, volume 127, pages 73-94, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
    10. Vachal, Kimberly & Bitzan, John & Button, Kenneth, 2004. "Transportation Quality Indices for Economic Analysis of Non-Metropolitan Cities," UGPTI Department Publication 231813, North Dakota State University, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute.
    11. Michael J. Hicks & Michael LaFaive, 2011. "The Influence of Targeted Economic Development Tax Incentives on County Economic Growth: Evidence From Michigan’s MEGA Credits," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 25(2), pages 193-205, May.
    12. Peterson, Steven K. & Jessup, Eric L., 2008. "Evaluating the Relationship Between Transportation Infrastructure and Economic Activity: Evidence from Washington State," Journal of the Transportation Research Forum, Transportation Research Forum, vol. 47(2).
    13. Ben C. Arimah, 2005. "What Drives Infrastructure Spending in Cities of Developing Countries?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 42(8), pages 1345-1368, July.
    14. Zhong, Taiyang & Zhang, Xiaoling & Huang, Xianjin & Liu, Fang, 2019. "Blessing or curse? Impact of land finance on rural public infrastructure development," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 130-141.

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    Rural areas; Rural development;

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