Does cycling infrastructure prioritize gentrifying neighborhoods? The case of Mexico City

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper aims to test the existence of a relationship between gentrification and the presence of cycling infrastructure in central Mexico City using a sample of 555 neighborhoods in central Mexico City and drawing from open spatial data. This research is contextualized within a growing body of Latin American research on state-led gentrification and the role of infrastructure as a tool for urban revalorization. Results show the existence of a clear and significant correlation between cycling infrastructure and gentrification, revealing that the city’s improved bike infrastructure has overwhelmingly favored gentrifying neighborhoods, and support existing research on these programs as a tool of gentrification. In addition, when controlling for other variables, the level of cycling infrastructure acts as the main predictor of gentrification. These findings are compelling and have implications for mobility equity policy in the Mexico City context.