COVID-19 AND ITS EFFECT IN THE MOBILITY TRENDS. STUDY CASE: METROPOLITAN ZONE OF QUERETARO

Abstract

The pandemic caused by the
outbreak of covid-19 has undoubtedly
affected the way in which
the city’s inhabitants interact
and carry out their daily activities.
More than a year after the
beginning of the pandemic, it is
relevant to know how commute
habits, mode of transportation and
destinations have changed in the
Queretaro Metropolitan Area. To
this end, a survey was conducted
which showed that the pandemic
has had an impact on mobility
trends: the percentages of use
of different modes of transportation
have changed, as well as the
origin-destination routes within the
city. At the same time, it revealed
that the physical structure of the
city determines the mode of transportation
chosen by users, and
made visible the long distances
that people have to travel which
cause the road traffic they have to
deal with on a daily basis. Notwithstanding
all this, the pandemic has
shown that there is a potential to
create a safer, healthier and more
accessible city that promotes a
change in the way people live. The
aim is for the city to allow each
inhabitant to decide which mode
of transport to choose without
feeling obligated to opt for a
particular one because he or she
feels that the other options do
not have adequate safety, efficiency
and health characteristics.