Sustainable and smart mobility evaluation since citizen participation in responsive cities

Abstract

Increasing population in cities implies growth infrastructure, basic services, transportation, employment, dwelling and those additional resources that allow them to improve their quality of life, which makes a necessary change in conventional urban planning models, that are insufficient to attend the new requirements. The 21st planning cities processes tend to consider an inclusive approach, where citizen participation takes a special interest; therefore, it contributes with the purpose to obtain receptive cities which are focused on the citizen. About mobility, the conventional planning mobility approach has been changing toward sustainable smart mobility to guarantee the participation of all social groups and reduce the effects associated with transport such as energy consumption, CO2 release, air quality, wasted space in the streets or impact on public health.Due to the current conditions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, mobility meaning has been changed from transport modes, their needs, accessibility, and affordability that constitutes a forced and disruptive adaptation process of existing models to plan, manage and implement sustainable mobility systems. Under this consideration, the mobility evaluation in the current context is based on the pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental issues; furthermore, in the receptive cities’ scenario, it is necessary to articulate an additional component: planning and governance, where the technology integration, knowledge and people participation will make it possible to achieve the goals of sustainable and smart mobility.To achieve a participatory evaluation proposal for sustainable and smart mobility, it is relevant to bear in mind the fundamental principles of citizen participation and determine the desired level of participation, that in receptive cities the greatest citizen commitment is expected, so, they can contribute with their knowledge and life experiences to achieve more effective, efficient, relevant, and sustainable results over time.Finally, some of the aspects registered in this proposal for the urban mobility evaluation are related to the invert mobility priorities, the global context and environmental quality, the built environment, connectivity, urban design, and transport-oriented sustainable communities, financial management, the use of technology in the city, among others, to contribute to the proposed objective.