Assessing the Effects of Road Infrastructure on Rural Mobility and Development: A Bibliometric Review

Rikhotso, Sharon and Gumbo, Trynos and Onatu, George Okechukwu (2025) Assessing the Effects of Road Infrastructure on Rural Mobility and Development: A Bibliometric Review. URBAN INNOVATION: TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO CITIES HAVE GONE BEFORE. Medium sized cities and towns as a major arena of global urbanisation. Proceedings of REAL CORP 2025, 30th Intl. Conference on Urban Development, Regional Planning and Information Society. pp. 175-183. ISSN 2521-3938

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Abstract

A critical issue developing countries globally face is insufficient investment in road infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, where the lack of reliable road networks significantly makes development in these areas almost stagnant. Rural roads in these regions are often poorly constructed, predominantly consisting of gravel surfaces, unlike the paved roads commonly found in urban centres. This disparity creates substantial challenges in attracting private-sector funding or forming effective public-private partnerships for infrastructure development. Rural roads frequently lack proper signage and are inadequate for large-scale public transport, restricting mobility and accessibility. The absence of high-quality road networks not only limits public transport industry growth but also exacerbates transport challenges in these areas. Moreover, rural road infrastructure is often disconnected from national or regional networks, further isolating rural populations from urban centres and marginalizing them from opportunities for development. This paper explores the negative consequences of neglecting rural road infrastructure, focusing on its impact on rural development and economic growth. It also identifies key issues such as the lack of threshold densities for collective public transport and explores alternative solutions, including pilot projects implemented in developing countries. A bibliometric analysis will be conducted to uncover key research trends, identify gaps in existing literature, and highlight policy recommendations to address systemic inadequacies in rural road infrastructure. The study emphasizes the need for enhanced connectivity between rural and national/regional transport networks to support the rural economy, create development opportunities, and improve access to essential services like healthcare and education. Furthermore, the research underscores the importance of community empowerment in ensuring road development projects meet quality standards and are maintained properly.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	infrastructure neglect, transport challenges, rural road infrastructure, public transport, Community empowerment
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor H Social Sciences > HE Transportation and Communications Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > Z665 Library Science. Information Science
Depositing User:	REAL CORP Administrator
Date Deposited:	16 May 2025 09:44
Last Modified:	16 May 2025 09:44
URI:	http://repository.corp.at/id/eprint/1176

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