Publication Details

New mobility trend insights in North Carolina

Type: Paper

Subtype: Technical Brief

Author(s): Kumfer, Wesley; Harmon, Katherine J.; Radwan, Randa; Combs, Tabitha; Ma, C.; Srinivasan, Rhagavan

Collection title: C19 Mobility and Health

Publisher: UNC Highway Safety Research Center

Publication Date: Mar-2021

Number: 3

Address: Chapel Hill, NC

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the daily life and travel patterns of North Carolina residents. To better understand this transformation and to gain insights into how future events may impact transportation and health in this state, the UNC Highway Safety Research Center analyzed multiple sets of mobility data and compared these data to COVID-19 trends.  This technical brief presents analyses related specifically to new travel metrics and updates the trends of COVID-19 cases and deaths in North Carolina, using three new metrics of mobility, travel, and connectivity: 1. Median distance traveled per county per day, labeled as device distance (DD).  2. Number of vehicle trips on state-owned roadways, as captured by active travel recorders (ATR).  3. Number of people gathering in proximity of each other, as indicated by the Cuebiq data Contact Index(CCI). Together, the DD and CCI indices indicate how far North Carolina residents have traveled during the pandemic, whether they are making these trips together or gathering together, and the impact executive actions have had on curbing connectivity and disease transmission.