Development trends and problems of transport infrastructure in the Vologda oblast cities

Functioning of transport infrastructure is one the most acute issues of sustainable development of modern cities. The state of the road network and transport infrastructure plays the signifi cant role in improving citizens' living standards and increasing opportunities for the development of the economy of a settlement. The purpose of the work is to study the development trends of transport infrastructure of large cities in the Vologda Oblast and to identify problems of their functioning. The empiric basis of the research is the results of sociological surveys in Vologda and Cherepovets, as well as municipal statistics. We have established that in 2015-2021, there was a positive dynamics of indicators of length of local road and road pavement quality, which was provided by the implementation of a number of federal and regional projects. More than half of Vologda residents and 2/3 of Cherepovets residents are satisfi ed with the level of transport services in their city. Currently, in terms of the sustainable development the biggest challenge is the increasing share of population using private cars to get around the city. One of the tools for decreasing the negative impact of transport infrastructure on the environment is the development and popularization of public transport system, as well as alternative ways of getting around the city. At the same time, the survey results indicate a low level of citizens' readiness to abandon their personal cars and switch to more environmentally friendly modes of transport. Moreover, based on content-analysis of the strategic documents of Vologda and Cherepovets, we present a number of measures, implemented by local authorities, aimed at transition to the sustainable development of urban transport infrastructure. The research results can be used in the activity of local authorities in big cities to improve implemented transport policy.