Development problems of the transport system of the Northwestern federal district

Currently, in the context of the need to integrate the economic space of the regions, the role of the transport system as a connecting factor between the economic entities of the territory is increasing. The role of the transport system in border areas, such as the Northwestern Federal District, is particularly growing. It has a favorable geographical location, has a significant natural resource potential, and includes many international transport corridors. In this regard, the purpose of the study is to identify the development problems of the transport system of the Northwestern Federal District. The article considers the main elements of the transport system: vehicles (transport), transport infrastructure, transport enterprises and management system. We have established that the contribution of the transport system to the country’s economy as a whole is 6.6% of the gross domestic product. The analysis of statistical data made it possible to identify the main development trends and problems of the transport system of the Northwestern Federal District. A comparison of the indicators of the transport system with European countries has shown that the transport system of the Northwestern Federal District is currently insufficiently developed to meet the needs of the territories’ economy. The main problems of its development are high depreciation of fixed assets; low transport speed; low proportion of roads that meet regulatory requirements; low funding for the maintenance and construction of infrastructure; its poor quality, which reduces the demand for transport services. In order to eliminate these problems, we have proposed the following solutions: attracting private investment to improve the transport system; supporting transport projects; creating new transport modes and infrastructure for them.