Discussion

Abstract

The construction of high-speed roads is inseparably connected with the process of development of regions and countries. In Poland, in the years 2011–2016, many sections of motorways and expressways were opened for use, and the network of high-speed roads became two times larger. The aim of the research was to identify changes in land use associated with the construction of the motorway. Two questions were asked: to what extent does the construction of the motorway result in abandoning the cultivation of land on isolated plots, and whether an increased development of built-up areas can be observed in the vicinity of motorway junctions. The analysis of land cover changes was based on orthophotomaps and aerial photographs from three points in time. By interpreting changes in SHDI, it was possible to identify where the major land cover changes occur. The construction of a motorway results mainly in the decline of forests and agricultural land in the immediate vicinity of such a road. However, such an investment is not a direct factor leading to the abandoning of cultivation of land on isolated plots. In the neighbourhood of motorway junctions, built-up areas development, mainly for non-residential purposes, may be observed.