Transport infrastructures and regional growthevidence of the spanish case

Resumen

This paper analyses the impact of transport infrastructures on the economic growth of both regions and sectors, distinguishing among modes of transport. It also attempts to capture the spillover effects or network effects associated with transport infrastructures. Two different methodologies are used: the first adopts an accounting approach on the basis of a regression on total factor productivity (TFP) indices, the second uses econometric estimates of the production function. Our study obtains very similar elasticities with both methodologies for the private sector of the economy, both for the aggregate capital stock of transport infrastructures and for the various types of infrastructure. Important network effects of these infrastructures on the private sector have also been observed. However, the disaggregated results for sectors of production are not conclusive.