Mobility Interventions on Urban Streets in North America During a Pandemic

The United Nations has pointed out that cities and densely populated urban settlements are the epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic with about 95% of confirmed cases. Local governments must try to control the risk of virus transmission in public areas while minimizing the social, economic, mental, and political consequences of prolonged restrictions on citizens’ lives. Many cities in North America have implemented strategies known as mobility interventions to promote physical distancing by changing people’s behavior and/or improving surface infrastructure. This study investigated mobility interventions implemented in 37 major cities in North America. The study found 14 different mobility interventions in the cities and classified the interventions by applicable locations, principles, and anticipated benefits, etc. The original classification was validated by applying a hierarchical cluster analysis and k-means cluster analysis using three important criteria (street user demand, street capacity and space efficiency). The four clusters of mobility interventions that emerged corresponded with the original classification and can be interpreted as: 1) temporary lockdown, 2) street user behavior improvement, 3) increasing capacity, and 4) enhancing economic opportunity. The study’s findings are expected to provide a general guide for decision makers wishing to select the most suitable mobility interventions for their urban centers during a similar health crisis.