Critical analysis of the mobility measures implemented in the city of São Paulo from 2013 to 2016

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Résumé:

One of the main questions which arise in the context of the big cities and big metropolitan regions is related to mobility. In other words, which means and conditions these regions offer to people in order to move in and around in performing their daily activities.
In São Paulo – Brazil, this question is getting worse due to typical problems of social and economic development since the 1950: industrialization followed by services, fierce inequality of income that is reflected in isles of high income surrounded by a periphery of low and very low income. The streets, avenues, public transport systems (bus, trains and metro) have to do with this historical development. One of the most critical problems paulistanos face are related to mobility: traffic jams, crowded public transportation services, tracks in poor conditions, etc.
Within this context, during the 2013-2016 period (former mayor Fernando Haddad period in office), many measures were taken in the domain of mobility: implementation of cycle lanes (never before made); great expansion of bus-only lanes and corridors; reduction of maximum speed on the main avenues and streets and regulation of transportation apps like Uber.
This paper aims to analyse the measures implemented and their impacts, through an examination of material published in the more important media in the city. The population perception in general and also of the interest groups about the adopted measures- and the measures not adopted, that intervene more or less in a latent or open conflict that is always subjacent to the mobility issue in a city as Sao Paulo, is discussed.
The analyse will be made through a qualitative examination of articles published in the widest-circulation media in the city: the newspapers Estado de São Paulo, Folha de São Paulo and Valor Econômico; and periodical magazines Exame, Veja/VejaSP. The method of qualitative analyse adopted will the one known as Inductive Category Formation, when the articles are read in a search for excerpts where opinions or evaluations about the measures taken may be found and then categorized according to the author who expressed it and its character (whether positive or negative). This qualitative method shall provide data which will be used to perform statistical analysis through which these measures will be evaluated.