The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on global city mobility patterns, affecting how people walk, drive, and use public transit. A recent study published in The Lancet Public Health, led by researchers from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and an international team, delved into the changes in urban transportation habits during the pandemic.
The study, titled “City mobility patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of a global natural experiment,” analyzed data from nearly 300 cities worldwide from January 2020 to February 2022. Using data from Apple’s Mobility Trends Reports, the researchers observed a significant decline in all forms of transportation during the initial lockdowns in 2020. However, as the pandemic progressed, mobility patterns began to rebound at varying rates, influenced by factors such as city density, severity of the pandemic, and economic conditions.
Professor Rodrigo Reis, a co-author of the study, highlighted the unique opportunity presented by the global ‘natural experiment’ of COVID-19 to study real-time changes in urban mobility. The research shed light on how lower-density cities experienced quicker recoveries in driving and walking, while densely populated urban areas, reliant on public transit, saw slower rebounds. Cities with higher infection rates tended to see increased driving and walking, while those with fewer cases turned to public transportation.
The study also examined over 500 global policies on mobility and active transportation, aiming to provide insights for future urban planning that supports healthier and more resilient cities. Active transportation, such as walking, cycling, and public transit, offers numerous health benefits and can address major challenges in cities like traffic safety, chronic diseases, air pollution, and carbon emissions.
Reis emphasized the importance of integrating and coordinating policies across sectors like transport planning, urban design, and healthcare to respond effectively to public health concerns, both during and beyond pandemics. By promoting active transportation and healthy urban planning, cities can better prepare for future challenges and create more sustainable environments for their residents.
For more information, the study “City mobility patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of a global natural experiment” can be found in The Lancet Public Health (2024) with DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(24)00222-6. This research underscores the critical role of urban planning in building resilient and livable cities in the face of global health crises.
