Mobility Behavior and Urban Planning Challenges of Formal and Informal Transportation Systems in San Martín de Porres, Lima, Peru, 2025

Abstract

The San Martín de Porres district, located in northern Lima, Peru, faces limitations on urban mobility due to uncontrolled urban growth, centralized opportunities, and the ineffective coexistence of formal and informal transport systems. The study analyzes how these factors affect citizens’ mobility behavior and how the lack of integration between the two transport systems affects the efficiency of the north-south transition in Gerardo Unger Avenue. The mixed-methods approach included participant observation, surveys, and document analysis to identify mobility patterns, inequities in accessibility, and high dependence on the north-south route. The data collection found that travel choices and mobility behavior depend on estimated travel times, perceived security, historical events, and cost-benefit alternatives. Urban mobility in northern Lima requires Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) strategies, the reorganization of road space, and urban design to support the coexistence of formal and informal transportation. It also proposes a multimodal mobility hub model that can be replicated according to uncontrolled urban growth. The model promotes equitable mobility, local development, and environmental improvements in complex urban contexts like northern Lima.