Spatial Analysis of Public Transport and Urban Mobility in Mexicali, B.C., Mexico: Towards Sustainable Solutions in Developing Cities

Julio Calderón-Ramírez, Manuel Gutiérrez-Moreno, Alejandro Mungaray-Moctezuma, Alejandro Sánchez-Atondo, Leonel García-Gómez, Marco Montoya-Alcaraz and Itzel Núñez-López ()
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Julio Calderón-Ramírez: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
Manuel Gutiérrez-Moreno: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
Alejandro Mungaray-Moctezuma: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
Alejandro Sánchez-Atondo: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
Leonel García-Gómez: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
Marco Montoya-Alcaraz: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
Itzel Núñez-López: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-25

Abstract: Historically, traditional transportation planning has promoted public policies focused on building and maintaining infrastructure for private cars to improve travel efficiency. This approach presents a significant challenge for cities in the Global South due to their unique socioeconomic conditions and urban development patterns. Dedicated public transport infrastructure can make better use of the road network by moving more people and reducing congestion. Beyond its environmental benefits, it also provides the population with greater accessibility, creating new development opportunities. This study uses Mexicali, Mexico, a medium-sized city with dispersed urban growth and a high dependence on cars, as a case study. The goal is to identify the relationship between the supply of public bus routes and actual work-related commuting patterns. The methodology considers that, given the scarcity of economic resources and prior studies in the Global South, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the spatial analysis of travel is a key tool for redesigning more inclusive and sustainable public transport systems. Specifically, this study utilized origin–destination survey data from 14 urban areas to assess modal coverage, work-related commuting patterns, and the spatial distribution of employment centres. The findings reveal a marked misalignment between the existing public transport network and the population’s travel needs, particularly in marginalized areas. Users face long travel times, multiple transfers, low service frequency, and limited connectivity to key employment areas. This configuration reinforces an exclusionary urban structure, with negative impacts on equity, modal efficiency, and sustainability. The study concludes that GIS-based spatial analysis generates sufficient evidence to redesign the public transport system and reorient urban mobility policy toward sustainability and social inclusion.

Keywords: urban mobility; public transport; commuting; spatial analysis; sustainable engineering (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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