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Is Mexico City Polycentric? A Trip Attraction Capacity Approach

Author

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  • Manuel Suárez

    (Manuel Suárez is in the Instituto de Geografía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, México DF, 04510, México, msuarez@igg.unam.mx)

  • Javier Delgado

    (Instituto de Geografía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, México DF, 04510, México, jdelgado@igg.unam.mx)

Abstract

The article explores whether Mexico City is a polycentric metropolis. Building upon previous methodologies, an alternative criterion is proposed for identifying employment centres, using a jobs to working residents ratio, while taking into account economic informality. Although a small set of minor sub-centres is traced, it is found that most jobs are concentrated in a large central agglomeration, with a moderate percentage of jobs concentrated in corridor-like shapes. Within this central agglomeration, are found inner nodes and corridor-like structures that had been identified in previous research as sub-centres. Additionally, economic specialisation is identified with the use of location quotients and the results are compared with those of previous methodologies. It is concluded that Mexico City has a hybrid, although still predominantly monocentric, urban form.

Suggested Citation

  • Manuel Suárez & Javier Delgado, 2009. "Is Mexico City Polycentric? A Trip Attraction Capacity Approach," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(10), pages 2187-2211, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:46:y:2009:i:10:p:2187-2211
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098009339429
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Atuesta, Laura H. & Ibarra-Olivo, J. Eduardo & Lozano-Gracia, Nancy & Deichmann, Uwe, 2018. "Access to employment and property values in Mexico," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 142-154.
    3. Daquan Huang & Xiaoqing Yang & Zhen Liu & Xingshuo Zhao & Fanhao Kong, 2018. "The Dynamic Impacts of Employment Subcenters on Residential Land Price in Transitional China: An Examination of the Beijing Metropolitan Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-22, March.
    4. Alejandra Trejo-Nieto, 2016. "A spatial analysis of urban labour markets and submarkets in the metropolitan area of Mexico City," ERSA conference papers ersa16p124, European Regional Science Association.
    5. Andrés Fielbaum & Sergio Jara-Diaz & Antonio Gschwender, 2017. "A Parametric Description of Cities for the Normative Analysis of Transport Systems," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 343-365, June.
    6. Panagiotis NIKOLOPOULOS & Andreas GKOUZOS & Athanasios PAPADASKALOPOULOS, 2018. "Morphological Polycentricity In Southern Europe: Evidence At The National Level," Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 13(4), pages 73-93, November.
    7. Carlos Marmolejo Duarte & Carlos Aguirre Nuñez & Eduardo Chica Mejia & Claudia Perez Prieto & Jaume Masip Tresserra, 2011. "Polycentrism in the Spanish metropolitan system: an analysis for 7 metro areas," ERSA conference papers ersa11p119, European Regional Science Association.
    8. Zeynep Elburz & Vedia Dokmeci, 2012. "The Spatial Distribution Of Fire Services In Izmir," ERSA conference papers ersa12p1014, European Regional Science Association.

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