As Bees Attracted to Honey

In Portugal, road and railway construction has led to the relocation of many businesses – and jobs – to the coastal region of the country. This article examines that phenomenon from the combined aspect of economic history and "regional science," showing how transport infrastructure has influenced the pattern of concentration and location of jobs, especially in the industrial sector. The research focuses on the role of transport facilities in attracting industrial jobs to the Atlantic coast region, beginning in the 1890s and continuing through the 1950s. A main focus of the research discusses the parallel development of both railroads and roads. The author notes that while railroad network construction was largely complete by 1900, its influence on industrial job location was felt well into the 20th century, especially in opening up the regional coastal cities of Lisbon and Oporto to industrial development and production. By the 1950s, the steady increase in vehicle use, coupled with the expansion of the road network, began to match the volume of railroad traffic. Additional transport infrastructure improvements have resulted in the creation of an inter-modal network that effectively links roads and railroads with ports.