AN ASSESSMENT OF THE AVAILABILITY OF TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE OBJECTS IN THE BALTIC REGION

This article analyses the availability of transport infrastructure objects in the Baltic macroregion. With the help of the cluster and integral assessment methods, the authors differentiate and classify mesoregions of the Baltic macroregion according to the level of development of both individual transport types and the transport system as a whole. The theoretical contribution of the study lies in the revision of the existing integral indices of transport infrastructure object availability, whereas the practical contribution of the study relates to the possibility to apply the results obtained in developing and adjusting regional and industry-specific transport development programmes. An important conclusion of the study is the practical confirmation of the significant underdevelopment of the regions of North-West Russia (within the Baltic region) as to the availability of transport infrastructure objects in comparison to most mesoregions of the Baltic macroregion.KEYWORDS: Baltic region, transport infrastructure, Engel coefficient, the coefficient of transport infrastructure availability.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/rfds.v12i1.69