Editor's Choice
What are the economic and social impacts of national roads?
Quick answer:
The development of national roads has profound economic and social impacts. Economically, roads boost productivity by facilitating efficient transportation of goods, reducing costs, and creating jobs in construction and related industries. They enable access to new markets and resources, enhancing economic growth. Socially, roads increase mobility, connect urban and rural areas, and foster cultural exchange, but they also contribute to urban sprawl and the decline of city neighborhoods as people move to suburbs.
I am assuming you are referring to the impacts of the US national road system, so I am using the US as the example in my answer. There are countless impacts of roads and other transportation networks, but I will list just a few here. Because a region's industrial and employment base is closely entwined with the quality of its transportation system, two key economic benefits of the national road system in the US have included boosting national productivity and employment.
A transportation infrastructure that is well run and in good condition allows businesses to obtain the materials they need to make their products and then ship goods to market when completed. This gives companies the ability to lower transportation costs, which trickles down to decreased production costs and enhanced productivity and profits. Roadway proficiency and investment also directly impact highway construction industry employment, as a variety of workers are...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
needed to run it efficiently, including managers, specialists, and laborers. Additionally, personnel are needed from supply and manufacturing industries, thereby generating more investments in these areas as well.
Socially, the advent of the road system contributed to restructuring within American culture, increasing mobility and access for people across the nation, connecting cities with small towns by growing the suburban lifestyle and leading to the influx of people leaving home to commute to work. It also gave people more flexibility to interact, shop and socialize in much less time than in the past. On the downside, this new structure led to the destruction and isolation of neighborhoods in many cities, as people fled the cities for the suburbs.
References
In the early nineteenth century, the rapidly expanding United States needed a better way to stay physically connected. That is why the National Road was first contracted in 1811. This would have a significant economic and social impact on the country, which I will briefly describe for you here.
By facilitating the expansion of westward settlement, the National Road gave more Americans access to the resources of the continent's interior. This led to more farmers growing grain in what soon became America's "breadbasket" of the midwest. Goods and people were easily able to use this road system to aid in interstate commerce. Businesses in the east were able to take advantage of new markets opening up in the Ohio River Valley. The National Road allowed produce and staple crops from the interior to reach customers on the coast and imports from East Coast ports to reach settlers further inland. As can be expected, new markets and better access to goods led to increased economic activity and growth.
Socially, the National Road helped to foster a "main street" culture. Cities and towns that sprang up along the National Road often used this road as their center of town, and that is where most local businesses were located. Inns and taverns developed there to accommodate travelers who passed through. Many travelers ended up settling down in these towns as well. This led to a mixing of people from various parts of the young country and led to the development of a newer amalgamated culture of its own.
References
There were economic and social benefits of building and of expanding the system of national roads. The national road system was important for the economic growth of our economy. As the system of roads was built, it became easier to transport products to areas to where people were moving. This helped businesses increase production, helping our economy to grow. Eventually, businesses were also able to move to the new locations where people were going. Building the national road system also created jobs.
Socially, there were also benefits to building the national road system. It became easier for people to travel from one area of the country to another area of the country. This allowed families and relatives to visit each other more easily. The same was true for friends. As people moved to new regions, new ways of living were developed. People who moved to the west built log cabins in which to live. As they moved west of the Mississippi, they build houses made out of sod. The expansion created by the building of roads impacted how people lived their lives.
The building of the national road system had both economic benefits and social benefits for our country.