Coordinated Transportation and Land Use Planning in the Developing World: Case of Mexico City

Much of the research on coordinated transportation and land use methods such as transit-oriented development (TOD) has focused on the developed world, particularly the United States. The opportunities and challenges for such policies in the developing world were examined, and it is argued that these policies might have greater benefits in the developing world than in the developed world. Mexico City, Mexico, was used as a case study. In the developing world, where cities are growing rapidly and rates of automobile ownership are still low, TOD provides an opportunity to design a transit-oriented urban form. Low-income people can thus be served by cheap, high-capacity transit; spend less of their income on transportation; and have better access to jobs. They will make fewer and shorter trips by informal low-capacity transit, thereby reducing congestion and pollution. In the long term, TOD may slow down motorization and mitigate its effects. Mexico City faces a crisis of mobility, environment, and equity. However, it has many of the prerequisites for TOD: the densities, an extensive metro system, and metropolitan planning organizations. Opportunities for coordinated transportation and land use planning include station area development, downtown redevelopment, real estate development along a proposed suburban rail line, and a policy of building new affordable housing within walking distance of high-capacity transit. The greater the geographical scope of each option, the more government involvement is required, and the larger its potential positive impact. An estimate of environmental benefits is presented.