Research on Regional Traffic and Economic Linkage Based on Accessibility and Gravity Model--Taking Hengyang, China as an example

Abstract

Regional urban connection is mainly reflected in the connection between transportation and economy. Using accessibility and improved gravity model, this paper studies the traffic and economic relations and spatial pattern analysis among districts and counties in Hengyang based on the shortest travel time data and socio-economic data of 12 districts and counties in Hengyang, China. The results show that: firstly, in terms of traffic accessibility, there are 8 districts and counties in Hengyang that have higher accessibility than the average level of the city, and 4 districts and counties that have lower accessibility than the average level. Secondly, the accessibility of districts and counties in Hengyang generally presents an irregular circular distribution pattern, forming a core edge distribution feature with five districts in Hengyang as the core and gradually decreasing outward enclosure. Thirdly, from the perspective of economic connection, the 12 districts and counties in Hengyang are divided into five levels. The first level is the connection between Shigu District and Yanfeng District in the central city. The second level connection intensity is between Shigu District and Zhengxiang District in the central city and between Zhengxiang District and Hengyang County. The intensity of the three-level connection is the connection between the counties near the central urban area and the districts in the central urban area, as well as the connection between the counties near the central urban area and the neighboring counties. The fourth level connection refers to the connection between districts and counties far away from the central urban area and counties near the central urban area. The fifth level connection refers to the connection between districts and counties far away from the central urban area.

Last but not least, the economic connection of Hengyang District and county forms the center-peripheral radiation pattern which diffuses from the area with the core of Shigu District, steamed Xiang District, Yanfeng District and Zhuhui District as the core, which presents the pattern of “one core and two centers” in space.