54% of the public space in downtown Concepción is allocated to cars, according to a new study by the laboratory.

City Lab Biobío conducted a survey on land use in downtown Concepción, between Prat, Las Heras, Paicaví, and Víctor Lamas streets, to determine the percentages allocated to active mobility, understanding this concept as those modes of transportation that use body energy, such as walking or cycling, and which spaces were occupied by public and private transportation.

This analysis revealed that 54% of public space is allocated for car use, referring to the roads available for this mode of transportation. This reflects an urban infrastructure highly oriented towards private vehicle use. It is followed by green areas with 18%, pedestrian sidewalks with 14%, on-street parking with 6%, public transportation space with 4%, and bike lanes with 3.5%.

“We not only want to look at Greater Concepción from the modeling of large urban projects, as we are doing today in the Costanera Sector, San Pedro de la Paz, or Talcahuano, but we also want to generate information and suggestions from the data crossing in more specific sectors of the city. This allows us to recommend, for example, possible mixed uses of some spaces, or to show a clear map of our reality so that decision-makers have these urban phenomena in view when promoting projects in the territory,” explains the director of Studies at City Lab Biobío, Marcela Martínez.

In the case of pedestrian sidewalks, the study explains that efforts should be made in urban planning to promote pedestrian traffic. Regarding on-street parking, it reveals an opportunity to reconsider its distribution and transformation for alternative uses, such as green areas, bike lanes, or pedestrian spaces.

Regarding the space for public transportation, the document states that strengthening the dedicated road infrastructure for this mode could improve the competitiveness of public transportation compared to other motorized modes, making it a more attractive option for commuters.

Finally, the experts explain that there is room for improvement in cyclist infrastructure. In addition to promoting sustainable transportation by increasing the length and connectivity of bike lanes, or even implementing management measures such as traffic calming zones or cycle streets, the use of bicycles could be encouraged, reducing dependency on motorized transportation.