This paper presents a methodology for assessing strategic territorial impacts from large transport projects like those in the Trans European Networks (TEN). This is done through analysis of changes at two levels: physical accessibility and economic accessibility. At the first level a set of indicators is proposed for assessing changes of (physical) accessibility from each region to other regions, considering their populations as the measure of importance and travel times between them as a (threshold) criteria for acceptability. At the second level, gains of economic accessibility are estimated. For each region taken as the basis of calculations, the model weights each other region (within an acceptable travel time range) on the basis of how complementary its economy is with respect to the one being analysed. This is measured through technical coefficients in input-output matrices with separate calculations for imports and for exports. It is well known that unproved accessibility is only a potential for acceleration of economic growth, not a guarantee of such acceleration. This paper does not solve that difficulty, but tries to clarify the measurement of that added potential, bicycle on two important factors: population as a whole in a "catchment area" and dimension of economic partnership possible in that area. For the definition of that catchment area, an innovative concept developed here is that of "Elastic Borders", whereby the time thresholds defined for acceptability of a partner region (which are related to our 24-hour cycle) may be slightly extended if by that extension we reach another region with a significant contribution. The paper concludes with an application of this methodology, to TEN projects in Portugal and Spain.
Abstract