Transport infrastructure as a factor in the territory’s spatial development

The article is devoted to study regional transport infrastructure as a territorial development factor. In the course of the work we analyzed the scientifi c research on this topic. As a result of the analysis, we formulated the key features of transport infrastructure as a factor promoting spatial development of territories in the case of the Russian Federation, and gave our defi nition of this phenomenon. Characteristic features include the dependence between regional differences in the level of socioeconomic development and the degree of effi ciency of transport infrastructure; the existence of a relationship between investment in transport infrastructure and the level of development of the region; the relationship between transport infrastructure and the quality of life etc. We carried out the comparative analysis of the federal districts’ ratings by the index of transport infrastructure development and one of the indicators of the quality of life - the average per capita income, as a result of which it was demonstrated that there was a relationship between these indicators. The paper also emphasizes the presence of not only positive eff ects from the functioning of transport infrastructure in the development of territories, but also the possibility of negative impacts. Such an aspect has not been studied suffi ciently to date. In our opinion, the main problem is the lack of objective assessment ofthe functioning oftransport infrastructure as a whole. The available methods for assessing the transport complex, transport infrastructure include a chaotic set of indicators. We emphasized the need for a qualitative assessment of transport infrastructure through the development of an integral indicator. In this regard, we mentioned the trend of transition to digital transportation infrastructure. An integrated objective assessment of transport infrastructure will contribute to determining the most accurate vector of spatial development of the region, as well as allow adjusting the adopted strategic plans.