IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i19p8689-d1494518.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Spatial Spillover Effects of Transportation Infrastructure on Regional Economic Growth—An Empirical Study at the Provincial Level in China

Author

Listed:
  • Fan Yin

    (School of Traffic and Transportation, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Yongsheng Qian

    (School of Traffic and Transportation, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Junwei Zeng

    (School of Traffic and Transportation, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

  • Xu Wei

    (School of Traffic and Transportation, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China)

Abstract

This study examines the spatial spillover effects of transportation infrastructure on regional economic growth, utilizing panel data from 31 provincial-level administrative divisions in China from 2003 to 2022. Using the spatial Durbin model (SDM) and three distinct spatial weight matrices—0–1 adjacency, spatial economic–geographical nested, and GDP-based economic distance matrices—this study comprehensively analyzes the multifaceted impacts of transportation infrastructure. The results show that transportation infrastructure significantly promotes economic growth in both local and neighboring regions across all spatial weight matrices. The total effect is most pronounced in geographically proximate regions, with a coefficient of 7.845 ( p < 0.01). Regions with similar economic development levels also show strong collaborative effects, with a coefficient of 2.074 ( p < 0.01), although the marginal effect of transportation infrastructure diminishes. Furthermore, adjustments in industrial structure and innovation inputs demonstrate a short-term inhibitory effect on economic growth, highlighting the need for synchronized development of transportation infrastructure alongside industrial and innovation policies. This study incorporates multi-dimensional spatial weight matrices to systematically reveal the direct and indirect impacts of transportation infrastructure on regional economies, providing essential empirical support for regional coordination and infrastructure investment policies. The findings offer valuable insights for infrastructure planning in other regions, particularly in formulating policies that promote cross-regional economic cooperation and optimize resource allocation.

Suggested Citation

  • Fan Yin & Yongsheng Qian & Junwei Zeng & Xu Wei, 2024. "The Spatial Spillover Effects of Transportation Infrastructure on Regional Economic Growth—An Empirical Study at the Provincial Level in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-23, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:19:p:8689-:d:1494518
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/19/8689/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/19/8689/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Charles R. Hulten, 1996. "Infrastructure Capital and Economic Growth: How Well You Use It May Be More Important Than How Much You Have," NBER Working Papers 5847, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, 1992. "Public-Sector Capital and the Productivity Puzzle," NBER Working Papers 4122, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Alicia H. Munnell, 1992. "Policy Watch: Infrastructure Investment and Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 6(4), pages 189-198, Fall.
    4. Robert J. Barro & Xavier Sala-I-Martin, 1992. "Public Finance in Models of Economic Growth," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 59(4), pages 645-661.
    5. Balazs Egert & Tomasz Kozluk & Douglas Sutherland, 2009. "Infrastructure and Growth: Empirical Evidence," CESifo Working Paper Series 2700, CESifo.
    6. Khalifa Ghali, 1998. "Public investment and private capital formation in a vector error-correction model of growth," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(6), pages 837-844.
    7. Spiros Bougheas & Panicos O. Demetriades & Theofanis P. Mamuneas, 2000. "Infrastructure, specialization, and economic growth," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 33(2), pages 506-522, May.
    8. Joeé Emilio Boscá & Francisco Javier Escribá & María José Murgui, 2002. "The Effect of Public Infrastructure on the Private Productive Sector of Spanish Regions," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 301-326, May.
    9. Shirley, Chad & Winston, Clifford, 2004. "Firm inventory behavior and the returns from highway infrastructure investments," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 398-415, March.
    10. Garcia-Mila, Teresa & McGuire, Therese J & Porter, Robert H, 1996. "The Effect of Public Capital in State-Level Production Functions Reconsidered," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 78(1), pages 177-180, February.
    11. Anselin, Luc & Tam Cho, Wendy K., 2002. "Spatial Effects and Ecological Inference," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(3), pages 276-297, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Silvia Bertarelli, 2006. "Public capital and growth," Politica economica, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 3, pages 361-398.
    2. Ward Romp & Jakob De Haan, 2007. "Public Capital and Economic Growth: A Critical Survey," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 8(S1), pages 6-52, April.
    3. Federici, Andrea, 2018. "Il rapporto tra capitale pubblico e altre variabili macroeconomiche: analisi della letteratura [The relationship between public capital and other macroeconomic variable: a literature review]," MPRA Paper 88515, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Holmgren, Johan & Merkel, Axel, 2017. "Much ado about nothing? – A meta-analysis of the relationship between infrastructure and economic growth," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 13-26.
    5. Urrunaga, Roberto & Aparicio, Carlos, 2012. "Infrastructure and economic growth in Peru," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), August.
    6. Wang, Chao & Lim, Ming K. & Zhang, Xinyi & Zhao, Longfeng & Lee, Paul Tae-Woo, 2020. "Railway and road infrastructure in the Belt and Road Initiative countries: Estimating the impact of transport infrastructure on economic growth," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 288-307.
    7. Vetlov, Igor & Ferdinandusse, Marien & de Jong, Jasper & Funda, Josip, 2017. "The effect of public investment in Europe: a model-based assessment," Working Paper Series 2021, European Central Bank.
    8. Diaz-Bautista, Alejandro, 2002. "The role of telecommunications infrastructure and human capital: Mexico´s economic growth and convergence," ERSA conference papers ersa02p102, European Regional Science Association.
    9. Angel De la Fuente, 2010. "Infrastructures and productivity: an updated survey," Working Papers 1018, BBVA Bank, Economic Research Department.
    10. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Neanidis, Kyriakos C., 2015. "Innovation, public capital, and growth," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 252-275.
    11. Magazzino, Cosimo & Giolli, Lorenzo, 2021. "The relationship among railway networks, energy consumption, and real added value in Italy. Evidence form ARDL and Wavelet analysis," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    12. Stephane Straub, 2008. "Infrastructure and Growth in Developing Countries: Recent Advances and Research Challenges," Edinburgh School of Economics Discussion Paper Series 179, Edinburgh School of Economics, University of Edinburgh.
    13. Alfredo M. Pereira & Jorge M. Andraz, 2013. "On The Economic Effects Of Public Infrastructure Investment: A Survey Of The International Evidence," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 38(4), pages 1-37, December.
    14. Young Eun Kim & Norman V. Loayza, 2019. "Productivity Growth: Patterns and Determinants across the World," Revista Economía, Fondo Editorial - Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, vol. 42(84), pages 36-93.
    15. Xiaohua Wang & Meilan Chen & Xi He & Fangfang Zhang, 2018. "Credit Constraint, Credit Adjustment, and Sustainable Growth of Farmers’ Income," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-15, November.
    16. Tang, Chor Foon & Abosedra, Salah, 2019. "Logistics performance, exports, and growth: Evidence from Asian economies," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    17. Marie-Ange VEGANZONES-VAROUDAKIS, 2000. "Infrastructures, investissement et croissance : un bilan de dix années de recherches," Working Papers 200007, CERDI.
    18. Rafaela Mª Pérez Sánchez, 2004. "Characterizing the Optimal Composition of Government Expenditures," Documentos de Trabajo del ICAE 0409, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Instituto Complutense de Análisis Económico.
    19. Calderon, Cesar & Serven, Luis, 2014. "Infrastructure, growth, and inequality : an overview," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7034, The World Bank.
    20. Alonso-Carrera, Jaime & Freire-Serén, María Jesús & Manzano, Baltasar, 2009. "Macroeconomic effects of the regional allocation of public capital formation," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 563-574, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:19:p:8689-:d:1494518. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.