Implementation of the China-Laos railway shows obvious spatiotemporal spillover effects and phased evolution patterns in Laos

Le résumé fourni par la source

Railways are regarded as a pivotal national strategy for fostering regional socioeconomic development in developing nations. This study investigates the impact of railways on urban development along the Laos section of the China-Laos Railway (CLR), aiming to elucidate the establishment of effective economic corridors. Remote sensing proxies, coupled with machine learning methodologies, were employed to discern the spatial-temporal development patterns of urban spaces surrounding railways and to identify the underlying driving forces. Positive spatial spillover effects of railways on surrounding urban spaces were observed, characterized by a distinct 2 ​km distance attenuation pattern. Urban development characteristics correlate with varying spatial development intensities (density and height) and types (horizontal or vertical expansion) near railway stations . Horizontal expansion is more pronounced near CLR stations than vertical expansion. A significant leading-lag effect of railways on surrounding physical (e.g., land use intensity) and economic development (e.g., international trade) was identified. These positive impacts vary based on the socioeconomic foundations of different cities, with national-level cities and those exhibiting higher GDP and secondary industrial share accruing the greatest benefits. A four-stage railway corridor development framework, designed to maximize the positive impacts of railways, is proposed for potential application in other developing countries.

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