15 Minute City

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/13859498

Related paper

I'll note that in the US, their urban area definition includes a lot of outlying and substantially unpopulated areas which fall within county boundaries; these areas tend to show up as having long travel times to services.

One of the more baffling events of the first quarter of 2023 was the mass protest in Oxford (England, not Mississippi) against the “15-minute city pledge,” a movement to get city councils to strive for cities where each neighborhood is a walkable place, with most amenities (groceries, schools, health care, employers, leisure activities) located within a pleasant 15-minute walk from your door.

The 15-minute city is an extremely inoffensive and commonsense idea, and moreover, Oxford is basically already a 15-minute city, because it is a medieval city, with a street-plan to match, anchored around a massive university campus (university campuses everywhere are pretty much all 15-minute cities).

So it’s weird that a bunch of people showed up to protest it, chanting slogans and waving signs decrying the World Economic Forum, the Great Reset, imaginary “climate lockdowns,” and “eating bugs.”

In America, this is called “the paranoid style in American politics.” In the UK, they have a far more colorful epithet: “swivel-eyed loons.”

Here’s the thing: the swivel-eyed loons have a point.

Oh, not about 15-minute cities! The 15-minute city is a perfectly pleasant idea that mostly requires adding a few bus lanes…

Rest of the article requires a medium account.

Gone are the days when designers made a splash with a shimmering new building torquing this way and that. The season’s debuts forge links to regional designs and new connections.

This article touches on some of the problems of downtown areas but focused on architectural changes that might lure people back. It's less theory and more implementation within the existing system.

This video is an exploration of Culdesac Tempe , a 5-minute city located in Arizona.

From LinkedIn: Building the first car-free neighborhood from scratch in the U.S.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/11597120

This is an article that dates back from 2019 but I think it's pretty relevant still.

Not Just Bikes dives into how urban planning makes a good neighborhood.

Watch ad free here: https://nebula.tv/videos/notjustbikes-the-secret-to-japans-great-cities

This is hilarious. It essentially says that fifteen minute cities aren't feasible in North America because the cities weren't built with fifteen minute cities in mind.

Ugh, people downvoting without reading. Basically they want to build a tourism hotspot and they're talking about making it a walking city. The Dubai is more about what their aspirations are. Though I'm not sure how that couples with rich entitled people. But given it would all be built on an abandoned airport, it makes sense to not waste space on roads and parking.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/16768838

Before / After. Avenue Daumesnil, Paris.

From https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/1dkyifx/before_after_avenue_daumesnil_paris/

My strong belief is this type of transport is what we really need to adopt en masse.

It can carry 2 adults or 1 adult and 2 kids, has enough boot space to do your shopping, and protects you from the elements (which is the #1 issue with bicycles).

If there was a way these could be mass produced so they are cheap enough for people to justify.. that would be a game changer.

https://www.better.bike/pebl-info

What is essential for you to have nearby? I can think of groceries, fresh produce, haircut/salon, a couple restaurants, schools, etc. Those are the obvious ones. What else are you looking for, such as a flower shop?

A multifaceted approach is being pursued with impacts on infrastructure and energy usage, with one of the central pillars being the Low Traffic Neighbourhood, known colloquially as a 15-minute neighbourhood. This urban planning concept envisions a future where all essential facilities are within a 15-minute walking or cycling distance - however, some critics worry about its potential impacts on personal freedoms.

The Livable Deep Cove Project design includes permanent, one-way vehicle traffic on lower Gallant, expanded sidewalks, streetlights, movable bollards, flex zones for protected pedestrian areas or parking, trees and improved road surfaces.

City Hall announced two of its latest steps in the pursuit of making Cleveland a 15-minute city, an effort to ensure that residents live within a short walk, bike ride or transit trip from almost all of their basic needs.

“One, it hasn’t been regulated. Second, its chemical composition can be potentially more toxic, especially for brakes’ [particulate matter] … they’re all metallic.”

Here's another reason why the 15 minute city will win. No one wants particulate matter in their lungs!

“One, it hasn’t been regulated. Second, its chemical composition can be potentially more toxic, especially for brakes’ [particulate matter] … they’re all metallic.”

Here's another reason why the 15 minute city will win. No one wants particulate matter in their lungs!

Ron Davis is running for the Seattle City Council in District 4 on a progressive, stridently urbanist platform and he shared his positions on transportation, housing, and other issues at The Urbanist’s lunch and learn event this Thursday.

Here's an excerpt from the transcript:

And so, as we think about how to get people around the city, we do have to start to think more smartly about it. In terms of, how we do that, obviously, there are a million layers to this, so maybe we can pick them apart. But I think about our neighborhoods first. So before we think about moving from neighborhood to neighborhood, we should also think about satisfying people’s needs in their own neighborhoods. So you often hear this term, 15-minute city, and some jurisdictions use different terms.

I’m particularly impressed by Barcelona. Its goal is to get 85% of trips to stay in their neighborhood within the next five years. Now, Barcelona is denser than us, and has been doing mixed use for a long time. So I don’t think we can hope for solutions that are that ambitious to happen here that fast. But I do think, intentionally legalizing retail in neighborhoods without having to build parking is a start. And doing so in a way that strategically makes sure that the vast majority of trips can be satisfied on foot, or maybe on a bike, by people of all abilities, is the first thing, right, we will reduce car trips, right? Most people don’t like driving. While I do prefer riding on the train and listening to, you know, a book on tape or a podcast, I also really prefer walking just around the corner to satisfy my needs.