Can transportation accessibility enhance economic resilience? Evidence from China

Transportation accessibility is not only a fundamental driver of daily economic activities but also a critical factor in regional economic resilience. However, the role of transportation accessibility in enhancing economic resilience has received limited attention in previous studies. This paper aims to empirically examine the effect of transportation accessibility on economic resilience and mechanisms. Using provincial-level macroeconomic and transportation data from 2008 to 2019, we calculate transportation accessibility and economic resilience in China. The two-way fixed effects regression models are employed in this study, controlling for province-specific and time-specific effects as well as other relevant determinants. The baseline results show that improved transportation accessibility can significantly enhance economic resilience. The findings remain robust across a series of robustness checks and endogeneity analyses. Moreover, this positive effect is stronger in less developed regions, suggesting its potential in reducing regional disparities. Mechanism analysis further reveals that economic vitality, industrial upgrading, and economic agglomeration serve as influential mechanisms in the relationship between transportation accessibility and economic resilience. This paper highlights the importance of transportation accessibility in enhancing economic resilience, and offers policy implications regarding infrastructure development, multimodal transport integration, digital governance, and regional coordination.