ABSTRACT
Puebla, capital city of the state of the same name, holds fourth place in the Mexican urban context, due to its population of one-and-a-half million inhabitants, which reaches three million in its metropolitan zone. This historic city, originally settled in 1531, was included in the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Cities in 1987. Its territorial expansion has not been contained, especially during the last four decades. Gated communities, due to their unique conditions, cause great impact upon the city's mobility. Zoning policies have resulted in the emergence of more-or-less closed sectors of the city, and reliance on a system of primary roadways that non-gated residents are forced to use to remain 'mobile'. A central element of the structural breakdown is growing dependence on the automobile. At rush hour in particular, the boulevards, diagonales, and peripheral highways are constantly congested, turning daily travel into a nightmare. Such is the phenomenon of urban gating.
