Urban patterns, population density and optimal city dimension: The case of public infrastructure

Ángel Prieto, José Zofío and Inmaculada Álvarez
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Ángel Prieto: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología, Salamanca, Spain

No 2010/08, Working Papers in Economic Theory from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), Department of Economic Analysis (Economic Theory and Economic History)

Abstract: Determination of the optimal city size underlies the economic rationality of infrastructure provision by local governments. We investigate the existence of decreasing average costs resulting from economies of scale, associated with larger urban dimensions in terms of population and housing, and economies of density, brought about by reductions in urban dispersion, and calculate optimal population densities when providing basic infrastructure. The methodology relies on novel definitions of scale and density economies and their estimation by way of flexible translog cost functions, extensively applied in the literature dealing with the provision of services—i.e., utilities, but extended here to their supporting infrastructure. Our results unveil the existence of latent economies of scale and density resulting in a cost excess in the provision of infrastructure due to the effect of urban sprawl that translates into suboptimal city sizes. Based on these findings several policy guidelines rationalizing urban development are suggested. The model is illustrated using Spanish statistical data collected from the nationwide local infrastructure and equipment survey, and prices from a new database that uses engineering cost benchmarks.

Keywords: Urban patterns; Optimal urban density; Scale and density economies; Translog cost function. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C3 D24 H1 H4 R53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 31 pages
Date: 2010-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo and nep-ure
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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