Querétaro Transit Interconnectivity

QUERÉTARO

TRANSIT INTERCONNECTIVITY

Revitalize the city’s transit network for the new normal 1

PREMISE Santiago de Querétaro, the capital city of Querétaro, faces growing challenges, like the rest of the world, as the COVID-19 pandemic makes its way through Mexico. As of June 1st, cases have yet to reach their peak. Although Querétaro has a lower number of cases in regards to its urban density, many aspects of social and public life will be changed forever.

Among many faltering public amenities in the current pandemic era, two at the forefront are public transit systems and transit hubs. In Querétaro, this comes in the form of the bus system that goes across the city (QroBus). A few issues that need to be addressed in the post-pandemic era are increased sanitation, accessibility to routes, transportation availability, affordability, and sustainability.

Public space and public transit will become vital as the country reopens, providing social and economic opportunities for all generations. As the world enters into the new normal, it is significant to continue access to public space through public transit as it revitalizes the economy, enhances sustainability efforts, and levels social and generational gaps.

Re-imagining these spaces to adhere to new sanitation efforts while still valuing the social nature of humans and resilience of our communities will be of utmost importance.

Concerns

Objectives

Proposal

Figure 1. Team brainstorming diagram of the existing conditions and concerns of the current transit system, objectives for reformation, and possible future outcomes for the city of Querétaro.

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Querétaro Transit Interconnectivity

CONCERNS Querétaro is a city with rapid urbanization which has higher demands for public transit systems among multiple age groups in recent years. The ability to effectively access different types of activities and services is a fundamental part of transit-oriented development, or TOD. Transit hubs, which also provide mobility alternatives for microtransit, are not only for TOD, but also critical in public spaces for social connection and civic engagement.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the issues of long waiting time, excessive transfers, little public space for social distancing, inadequate bus stop environments, and poor sanitation lead sharply to the reduction of riders. Citizens need higher quality transit systems, implementing characteristics as below: • Green public spaces within transit hubs • Greater interconnection within routes for shortened commuting time • Inclusion of light exercise and pedestrian-based mobility, resulting in sustained health within communities • Increased sustainable efforts within all transit systems • Reduction of parking lots to be turned into green spaces, making public transportation and micro-transit more essential than ever.

A more resilient, sustainable, and innovative transit system for the future is crucial for Querétaro, which can enrich multiple functions in transit hubs, such as communal social networking, shorten commuting time, enhance operational resilience, and increase mobility to all social classes.

Minimize Marginalization

Maximize Accessibility

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CENTRO HISTÓRICO The focus area is 2 square-miles, or 1,273 acres, and located in the Centro Histórico district. This neighborhood is an exceptional example of a colonial town with a layout that symbolizes its multi-ethnic population. The geometric street plan of the Spanish conquerors runs side by side with the twisting alleys of the Indian quarters.

The Otomi, the Tarasco, the Chichimeca, and the Spanish lived together in the town, which is notable for the many ornate civil and religious Baroque monuments and a skyline that has been defined since the 16th century.

The urban layout is unique for Spanish colonial towns where the plan starts to divide into two distinct sections: one rectilinear and intended for Spanish settlers and the other composed of smaller, winding streets where the indigenous population lived.

BRIEF As post-COVID-19 mass transit will require increased sanitation efforts, outreach to multiple generations will be vital for the continuation of communities, such as Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico.

The challenge is to design an innovative public transit system with multi-functional transit hubs, catering to social networking, resiliency, health, and protection in a postpandemic era. Ultimately, this new age of mobility will minimize marginalization and maximize accessibility.

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Querétaro Transit Interconnectivity

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CONSIDERATIONS • • • • •

Pay attention to the different user groups and their interactions with the site Explore the definition of urban design during the age of the pandemic Follow a narrative and develop an impactful outcome based on research Understand impact of public transportation to the socioeconmic spectrum Recognize the impact of the scheme at multiple scales of the urban grid Individual

Neighborhood

City

Figure 2. Preliminary impact vision of Querétaro Transit Interconnectivity 2030 at multiple scales of the urban grid (individual - neighborhood - city).

DELIVERABLES You are delivering an urban design outcome for the given site.

Recommend number of presentation board/sheets: (2) 30”x30” PDF boards Compile into one large spread

30x30

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30x30

Querétaro Transit Interconnectivity

Submission Requirements: (3) Research diagrams (2) Concept diagrams (1) Master site plan (1) Exploded system diagram (1) Focus Zone (2) Key conceptual section (3) Perspective views

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QUERÉTARO

TRANSIT INTERCONNECTIVITY

Revitalize the city’s transit network for the new normal