Investigating the Impact of Transportation Infrastructure Investment on Urban Expansion in Chengdu-Chongqing Urban Agglomeration

Transport infrastructure's role in urbanization, particularly in the expansive western regions, is a key research area. This study employs a spatial econometric model to perform empirical analysis, yielding several findings: (1) The urbanization rate significantly denotes urban development; (2) Transport infrastructure in the Chengdu-Chongqing agglomeration lacks a significant spatial spillover on urbanization, with a negative direct impact evident in Chongqing; (3) Spatial agglomeration effects are more marked in Chongqing than in Sichuan within the agglomeration. By devising a novel indicator system, the paper assesses urbanization levels and investigates the spatial spillover of transport infrastructure on these levels within the Chengdu-Chongqing area, aiming to discern the effects of infrastructure investment on regional growth and provide policy recommendations for strategic planning and development.