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Results from studies of the relationship between road infrastructure and regional economic growth have so far been inconclusive. This paper analyzes the effect of the availability of road infrastructure on regional production in Mexican municipalities. At a regional level, the extent of road availability in a municipality was determined using an Geographic Information System (gIS) and ordinary least squares analysis, which identified the existence of a positive relation between road density and production in municipal regions. It was shown that the most significant impact of roads on gross regional production is in the manufacturing and retail sectors, while roads have no significant impact on agriculture, livestock production, fishing, and mining. Toll-free roads in particular afford increased regional benefits in comparison to toll roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes how the structure and functioning of the system of cities in Mexico has changed in the framework of the economic models implemented in the country, drawing on the results of spatial interaction models. This article reviews three studies based on data obtained in 1966, 1986, and 2006 through classic gravity models, which permit a comparative analysis that reveals the transition from a hierarchical cities model in the closed-economy model to the emergence of regional-urban systems organized into networks in the midst of trade liberalization. Finally, it reflects on some causal explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]