Right to the City and Pedestrian Exclusion: An Analysis of Mobility Policies in Pachuca, Hidalgo. Mexico

Resumen

This study examines pedestrian mobility in Pachuca through the perspectives of Harold Laswell, Charles Lindblom, and the theory of the right to the city. The analysis shows that urban planning prioritizes economic interests over technical criteria and social justice, resulting in a fragmented and exclusionary city for pedestrians. Cases such as Boulevard Colosio illustrate disproportionate investments that disregard accident data and neglect peripheral municipalities with greater needs. The research also identifies deficiencies in institutional transparency and restricted access to public information, which limit the development of evidence-based policies. Likewise, the dominance of large-scale projects without prior diagnostics or citizen participation contradicts Lindblom’s incrementalist approach and undermines the legitimacy of urban interventions. From the perspective of the right to the city, pedestrian mobility has not been recognized as a fundamental right, perpetuating the exclusion of vulnerable groups such as women, older adults, children, and informal workers. The study concludes that mobility policies must be redefined through technical rationality, spatial justice, and democratic participation in order to build a more equitable and safer city.