Researching the Role of Transportation in Regional Development

THE MECHANISMS BY WHICH THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AFFECTS REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY SUBTLE AND COMPLEX, AND THE PROCEDURES FOR RESEARCHING OR MODELING SUCH RELATIONSHIPS ARE ONLY IN THEIR INFANCY. CLASSIC LOCATION THEORIES PROVIDE LITTLE INSIGHT AS TO ACTUAL FIRM LOCATIONS. STATISTICALLY RELATING THE LEVELS OF TRANSPORT INVESTMENTS, RATES, OR SERVICE LEVELS, IN A CASUAL WAY TO INCREASES IN OUTPUT REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE CARE. THE USE OF LARG- SCALE SYSTEMS SIMULATIONS MODELS IS SHOWN TO BE COMPLEX. /LE/