Methodology for assessing transport links of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation

Abstract

The expansion of transport links is an important condition for increasing the mobility and opportunities for economic development of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Transport links between the central and peripheral regions contribute to increasing the potential for regional competition in various industries. In most cases, economic and social development is concentrated in the administrative center or agglomeration, therefore, the assessment of the degree of accessibility is the ability get to the center from the farthest settlement in the optimal travel time. The indicator of the complexity of the transport network was used to compare the subjects of the Russian Federation in order to explain differences in the characteristics of the transport network and socio-economic factors, as well as to assess possible relationships; a cluster analysis was also carried out. The multi-criteria assessment methodology was developed by combining two existing methods suitable for assessing the complexity of the transport network in order to substantiate effective directions for the development of regional infrastructure. As a result of the assessment and subsequent structural changes, the quality indicators of transport services will be improved, as well as the regional competitive potential will be strengthened and the unfavorable situation of peripheral territories will be eliminated. The proposed methodology and the results of the study can be applied in regional planning to assess the characteristics of accessibility and determine cross-border decisions in relation to neighboring entities, in addition, it provides the possibility of visual presentation of the results based on geographic information systems to support decision-making in the field of transport planning of the transportation process.