The 15 minutes cool distance!

I was reading an infrastructure article this weekend and a very interesting concept crossed roads with my weekend reading. I thought is an interesting topic to share in a post for climate and infrastructure.

More and more experts agree that daily life should be ran in maximum 15 minutes distance from home. All modern cities should develop the necessary infrastructure and access to allow for a higher quality of life and rational usage of energy with the lowest possible climate impact.

Of course, the idea is not new, studies in the US and Australia in the twentieth century already started to talk about this concept in new urbanism. However, climate change and the impact of transport in cities is reviving these concepts to make our city life more sustainable.

Working, shopping, and sports should be in general within this distance/time. New cities and expansion of our current ones should be planned and develop considering this objective.  The key is for cities to create a “vision strategy with serious planning and objectives” voters will appreciate the efforts.

For example the city of Paris is championing this idea in 2020 by trying to build a smart city with modern infrastructure that expects to be replicated in other modern cities in the world. Melbourne (AUS) and Portland (US) are also running the experience.

The big question is: can 15 minutes concept really work?

Well, there seems to be compelling evidence that can work. Thanks to new technologies and innovation of smart cities, this concept is more achievable than ever. Improved electric bikes and more develop transport networks are making their way into our modern cities. Let’s keep in mind these considerations when new transport networks from highways, street networks for buses, cars, and bicycles are build. Alternative mass transportation systems like electric trams and subways should also be considered with this reach.

“ Most trips taken in cities are pretty short. Research on U.S. households’ driving habits found that nearly 60% of their one-way trips are less than six miles (9.6km), and 75% of all trips are ten miles or less. It’s worth acknowledging that the 15-minute city seems so bold and transformative precisely because the way we design cities now is antithetical to its goals”

And let’s be honest, is super healthy to have a 10mins walk to work or to go shopping or after having a Mediterranean breakfast with olive oil and fresh tomatoes.… so, join in and lower your climate impact…

Post Covid era may also make an impact in our way of life and how we plan and perform daily activities. Teleworking and work-anywhere may help to decongest city centers and overcrowded cities making this whole concept worth to have an eye on…

More to come guys…