As obras públicas nas cidades coloniais tinham um papel de mediação entre os governos e as sociedades urbanas, ligado a um discurso próprio, o discurso do “bem comum”. Enquanto no âmbito conceitual e material havia uma grande semelhança entre as obras nas colônias e na Europa, as respectivas sociedades urbanas nas colônias eram muito mais heterogêneas do que aquelas na Europa, e seus governos, mais autônomos. Isso gerou intensas renegociações em termos da apropriação das obras. Foram concebidas pelos governos, mas moldadas pelas práticas dos seus usuários. Assim sendo, abrem novas perspectivas sobre as populações urbanas coloniais, incluindo suas partes mais marginalizadas.

The public works in colonial cities had a mediating role between governments and urban societies, which was connected to a particular discourse, the discourse of the “common good”. While in conceptual and material scope, there was a great similarity between the public works in the colonies and in Europe, the urban societies in the colonies were much more heterogeneous than those in Europe, and their governments more autonomous. This generated intense re-negotiations regarding the appropriation of the public works. They were conceived by the governments, but shaped by the practices of their users. Therefore, the public works open new perspectives on colonial urban populations, including their most marginalized parts.