Task 3


Identifying Mobility and Health Impact Trends due to COVID-19 – Phase 1/Base Analysis

The objective of this task of to understand general trends of mobility and health impacts due to COVID-19 across different counties in North Carolina. The following research questions are being investigated:

  1. Have shelter-in-place policies, emergency declarations, and general news and events reduced movement within North Carolina? Is this slowing the spread of COVID-19?
  2. What are the differences in mobility between urban and rural counties and how do these trends vary through time?

This task will also conduct an analysis of policy declarations as potential stimulus for any identified trend changes.

Lead Researchers:

Wes Kumfer, Ph.D.
Engineering Research Associate, UNC Highway Safety Research Center
kumfer@hsrc.unc.edu
View bio

Katherine (Katie) Harmon, Ph.D.
Research Associate, UNC Highway Safety Research Center
harmon@hsrc.unc.edu
View bio

Research Team

  • Tab Combs, Department of City and Regional Planning, UNC-CH
  • Cheng Ma, Department of City and Regional Planning, UNC-CH; UNC Highway Safety Research Center
  • Randa Radwan, UNC Highway Safety Research Center
  • Duncan Richey, UNC Highway Safety Research Center
  • Raghavan Srinivasan, UNC Highway Safety Research Center

Reports/materials

Technical Brief 1: Initial COVID-19 Mobility Data Trend Analysis in NC
September 1, 2020 (PDF, 1.4 MB)

Technical Brief 3: New Mobility Trend Insights in North Carolina
March 19, 2021 (PDF, 2.2 MB)