The Interaction Of Income Inequality With Road Maintenance Expenditure In Terms Of Effect On Regional Economic Development

Author

Chigoziem Munachiso Uzoigiwe, Prairie View A&M University

Date of Award

12-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Degree Discipline

Business Administration

Abstract

Persistent income inequality and deteriorating infrastructure continue to challenge balanced economic development across U.S. regions, raising questions about how public investment can be optimized to address both. Therefore, this study examined the interaction between income inequality and road maintenance expenditures in driving economic growth in the United States. I analyzed whether road maintenance can offset the adverse effects of inequality on regional growth and whether the benefits of such infrastructure investment vary with the level of inequality. Using state-level panel data on GDP, infrastructure spending, income inequality, education, and other socioeconomic indicators, I estimated the direct and interactive effects of road maintenance expenditures and inequality on economic growth. I found that while road maintenance is positively associated with economic growth, income inequality negatively affects it; their interaction is positive, and higher road maintenance spending mitigates the adverse impact of inequality. Additionally, the growth-enhancing effect of road maintenance was stronger in regions with higher inequality. These results suggest that infrastructure investment, particularly in road maintenance, can serve as a strategic tool to support economic development and reduce the harmful effects of inequality. The findings are robust across multiple specifications and in the presence of various control variables.

Keywords: infrastructure, road maintenance, infrastructure and inequality

Committee Chair/Advisor

Erik Kitenge

Committee Member

Anish Menon

Committee Member

Elvis Ndembe

Publisher

Prairie View A & M University

Rights

Date of Digitization

02/03/2026

Contributing Institution

J. B . Coleman Library

City of Publication

Prairie View

MIME Type

Application/PDF

Recommended Citation

Uzoigiwe, C. (2025). The Interaction Of Income Inequality With Road Maintenance Expenditure In Terms Of Effect On Regional Economic Development. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/pvamu-dissertations/131