Modeling public transportation networks for a circular city: the role of urban subcenters and mobility density

Abstract The concentration of both employment and services in a specific area of a town generates positive effects, but also impacts (congestion, transit issues, and others). Urban subcenters seek to approach economic activities to residents in peripheral urban spaces. The objective of this research is to evaluate the contribution to the mobility of implementing urban subcenters in a city. The model has a total cost function (users and agency costs) on a circular city (ring and radial routes) formulated using the continuous approximation method. The model solution addresses with mathematical optimization. The model evaluates a BRT network applied to scenarios of urban subcenters. The results of the modeling show that the implementation of subcenters obtains savings of 3.5% in rush hour. Thus, this strategy of urban planning generates improvements in the functioning of a public transportation system. Moreover, the maximum benefits are obtained in medium-sized subcenters in comparison to the CBD, which allows balancing user and agency costs. Therefore, the outcomes may be better with an urban pattern with subcenters, and a transit scheme adapted to the demand needs.