Transport accessibility of key settlements in the context of the federal highway network development

Abstract

The relevance of the study stems from the need to reduce interregional disparities, as stipulated in strategic planning documents. The article examines the provision of federal highways for key settlement centers in the Northwestern Federal District in the context of forming a sustainable socio-economic system. The methodological framework relies on the comparative geographical method and methods of geoinformation analysis, including the construction of buffer zones. The analysis reveals significant spatial heterogeneity in the district’s transport network, driven by historical and natural-climatic factors, and identifies territories with low levels of provision that require additional strategic planning measures. The study establishes that, although federal highways form the transport framework and ensure connectivity, their high density and level of integration are characteristic primarily of the southwestern regions of the district. The findings confirm the hypothesis that federal roads can serve as vectors of socio-economic development for territories.