Measuring urban regional similarity through mobility signatures

Abstract

The task of identifying similar regions within and between cities is an important aspect of urban data science as well as applied domains such as real estate, tourism, and urban planning. Regional similarity is typically assessed through comparing socio-demographic variables, resource availability, or urban infrastructure. An essential dimension, often overlooked for this task, is the spatiotemporal mobility patterns of people within a city. In this work we present a novel approach to identifying regional similarity based on human mobility as proxied through micromobility trips. We use a dataset consisting of e-scooter trip origins and destinations for two major European cities that differ in population size and urban structure. Three dimensions of these data are used in modeling the spatial and temporal variability in movement between regions in cities, allowing us to compare regions through a mobility lens. The result is a parameterized similarity model and interactive web platform for comparing regions across different urban environments. The application of this model suggests that human mobility patterns are a quantifiable, unique, and appropriate characteristic through which to measure urban similarity.