Where the highway ends: a study of accessibility in the Pearl River Delta region, China

The project focuses on the relationship between economic development and transportation accessibility in extended metropolitan regions. A GIS-based analysis will examine this relationship for the Pearl River Delta (PRD), which is a large and expanding urban region in southern China. The intern will develop technique to measure how the location and geometry of highway systems affect urban and industrial growth and how accessibility to transportation systems informs the proximity and time/ distance measure of industrial firms. The analysis will build on previous work already carried out by the partner institution. Using earlier studies conducted at Chreod, comparisons will be made between PRD and the Yangtze River Delta Region. While the primary focus of the intern's work will be analysis of metropolitan regions in China, some of the techniques developed will also be adapted for study of accessibility trends and land use change in Canadian cities, specifically Toronto. The results from this research will be used by the partner organization, Chreod Group, in its work focusing on urbanization and economic development trends in China and Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Alana Boland

Student:

Katri Mallory

Partner:

Chreod Group Inc.

Discipline:

Urban studies

Sector:

Automotive and transportation

University:

University of Toronto