How Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Mobility, Land Use, and Destination Selection? Lesson from Seoul, Korea

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant social changes through government prevention and control measures, changes in people’s risk perceptions, and lifestyle changes. In response, urban inhabitants changed their behaviors significantly, including their preferences for transportation modes and urban spaces in response to government quarantine policies and concerns over the potential risk of infection in urban spaces.
These changes may have long-lasting effects on urban spaces beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, or they may evolve and develop new forms. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential for urban spaces to adapt to the present and future pandemics by examining changes in urban residents’ preferences in travel modes and urban space use due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study found that overall preferences for travel modes and urban spaces significantly differ between the pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods. During the pandemic, preferences for travel modes and urban spaces has decreased, except for privately owned vehicles and green spaces, which are perceived to be safe from transmission, and are more favorable than others. Post-pandemic preferences for travel modes and urban spaces are less favorable than pre-pandemic, with urban spaces being five times less favorable than transportation. Although green spaces and medical facilities that were positively perceived during the pandemic are expected to return to the pre-pandemic preference
level, other factors of urban spaces are facing a new-normal. The findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic
has had a significant impact on urban residents’ preferences for travel modes and urban space use.
Understanding these changes is crucial for developing strategies to adapt to present and future pandemics and
improve urban resilience.