Periurban Urbanization and Travel Choice Behaviour: Problem or Solution?

In 21st century cities, an adequate urban design represents a great opportunity to reduce the number of trips and distances travelled. It is also known that improving city design and transportation networks could reduce carbon emissions more than replacing all fossil fuels with renewable energies. With this background, it seems fundamental to focus on the systemic relationship between urban forms and travel choices behaviours. In the case of the city of Cuenca (Ecuador,) in the last 5 years, more than 70 mono-functional urbanization and condos, many of them being gated-communities, have been built outside the urban limits. These form of urbanization is supported both by public and private promoters. Due to this situation, this research project seeks to determine the relationship between the location of these urbanizations and condos, with the travel choice behaviour of users. Geographic information systems, Q methodology, travel diaries and qualitative methods where used for data collection and spatial representation. Three discourses were found, people who preferred the proximity to nature and open spaces, other who gave more importance to efficient mobility and the last ones for whom security was the most important aspect. This work opens possibilities for further research on the importance of urban form for sustainable planning and mobility.