Traffic in Mexico City
One of the conference themes was smart mobility, and Mexico City is the ideal host. With a population of 8.9 million, over 22 million trips occur across the city daily. As expected, all these journeys have a negative impact on congestion levels and road safety. But in recent years, the city has established new regulations meant to transition to a model of sustainability and safety for all road users.
A long-established driving restriction – Hoy No Circula – was adopted in 1989 to reduce air pollution. At that time, Mexico City was the most polluted place on Earth. The initiative limited drivers to only use their cars 6 days/week, and has proven very successful. However, when also forbidding Saturday driving in 2008, the results have not been as promising. While the directive aimed to encourage the use of public transport, people ended up carpooling or taking taxis. This resistance to public transport is explained by cultural and socio-economic factors. On one hand, owning a car is a symbol a status in Mexico. On the other hand, Mexico City is second in the world in the rank of most dangerous transit systems for women.
Sustainable Transport: The Mexloop
The session chaired by Hyperloop One was fascinating. Diana Zhou, Market Strategy Manager, has announced that Mexico will be one of the first countries in the world (and the only one in South America) to use the Hyperloop. This innovative high-speed transportation system would link four cities: Mexico City – Querétaro – León – Guadalajara in about 38 min. To put it into perspective, the same distance is currently covered in 6 hours of driving.
MetroCount at Intertraffic Mexico
MetroCount’s presence in Latin America has been steadily expanding. In recent months, our counters have made their appearance on the streets of countries like Chile and Peru. If this event’s success is any indication of what the future holds, we couldn’t be happier. Our advanced traffic counters have attracted numerous visitors, so many that we will certainly need a bigger booth next time!
Thank you for stopping by our stand for a chat, and thank you, Mexico City, for being a welcoming host!
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