The 15-minute City
The road to COMMUNITY
Noise pollution, air pollution, global warming, and personal health are all improved when you leave your car at home to go places. And the more people do it, the more it builds a sense of community.
The 15-minute City — It’s TIME
Dan Lassen, up in San Francisco, has pioneered a catchphrase that nicely encapsulates the concept: The 15-minute City. And it seems to be “catching on” (if you’ll forgive the pun):
He even has a website: 15-Minute City (15minutecity.com)
The basic idea is that you are no more than 15 minutes away from wherever you probably want to go. (I would love to see that happen.)
Left open is whether that’s 15 minutes by walking (difficult), pedaling (a lot easier), or mass transit (only practical if it runs frequently, like clockwork.)
The article does a great job of explaining the basics. The Cliff Notes version is:
- Mixed-use zoning (critical to making it possible)
- Connected bike paths that actually get you to useful destinations (as opposed to stopping midway and leaving you to fend for yourself)
I first heard about the concept in a CalBike article, Proposed Law Would Bring the 15-Minute City and Bicycle…
