A city is a shared space where individuals seek to realize their desires and goals. Streets, sidewalks, and public spaces foster encounters and connections among diverse groups, strengthening the sense of community. Urban mobility plays a fundamental role in the social and economic development of cities, particularly in citizens' quality of life. It is not just about transportation, but about how people move through the city, impacting the time and energy expended by residents, as well as migration, communication, the formation of personal social networks, traffic flows, housing, health, and the spatial distribution of diverse points of interest. According to Ole B. Jensen, “contemporary cities and places are defined by mobility and their flows.”
Mobility is one of the primary anxieties of the contemporary city, prompting new questions and demands during the pandemic. Various cities around the world felt the impact of the coronavirus and are seizing this moment to rethink their design and priorities. Some of the pandemic's effects include the decline of public transit, an increase in private vehicle use, and the need to invest in pedestrianization and cycling infrastructure to reduce transmission risks and enable outdoor activities. Florianópolis, a capital spanning both island and mainland territories, has faced criticism for its mobility issues for years—a condition that could either worsen or improve during this highly complex historical period.
