| Abstract |
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly reshaped urban mobility.
During the lockdown, workers teleworked if possible and left home only
for essential activities. Our study investigates the spatial patterns of
essential travel and their socioeconomic differences during the
COVID-19 lockdown phase in comparison with the same period in 2019.
Using data from Columbus, Ohio, we categorized travelers into high,
moderate, and low socioeconomic status (SES) clusters and modeled travel
demand of SES clusters for both phases using spatially weighted
interaction models. Then, we characterized the SES variability in
essential travel based on frequently visited business activities from
each cluster. Results suggest that disparities in travel across SES
clusters that existed prior to COVID-19 were exacerbated during the
pandemic lockdown. The diffused travel pattern of high and moderate SES
clusters became localized and the preexisting localized travel pattern
of low SES clusters became diffused. During the lockdown, the low and
moderate SES clusters traveled mostly for work with long- and
medium-distance trips, respectively, whereas the high SES cluster
traveled mostly for recreational and other nonwork purposes with
short-distance trips. This study draws some conclusions and implications
to help researchers and practitioners plan for resilient and
economically vibrant transportation systems in response to future
shocks. |