who decides the city? Mobility, public space, social fabric and wellbeing

Street privatization in Northern Leon

Abstract

This study is derived from the first analyzes made within the framework of academic collaboration between the Department of Urban Development of León and Tecnológico de Monterrey, which aims to create academic projects that generate concrete urban changes. As a result of these analyzes, we find that mobility is a matter of major importance for the city of Guanajuato, including the privatization and abandonment of public space. Studies carried out by the Municipal Planning Authority as well as the department of Urban Development show that the use of the car in León has considerably fragmented the city. The main objective of this article is therefore to analyze and discuss the role of privatization of public space, in particular, the access to mobility, to the streets, creating social fabric and welfare for the inhabitants of the city. This study was carried out in the northern part of the city, analyzing the mobility capacity found in this area. We realized that a third of the territory that forms this area has been privatized, lacking basic public spaces, particularly access to streets. We consider that the tendency of privatization of space and the fragmentation of the territory have led to an excessive car use, losing urban fabric, inhibiting social cohesion.