The Questionable Economics of the 15-Minute City
The goals of this trendy urban planning model are laudable, but cities need to be realistic about their ability to place retail, services and jobs close to all residents.
Even New York City, the densest big city in the US, can’t achieve the mix of nearby amenities that the 15-minute city model calls for.
Photographer: Spencer Platt/Getty Images North AmericaThe technicalities of urban planning don’t often make the news. As someone who has studied and promoted the importance of urban neighborhoods for two decades, I was pleasantly surprised when the “15-minute city,” a neighborhood-based planning approach that seeks to place essential services and amenities within a 15-minute walk, headlined dozens of articles recently.
In the glow of the limelight, however, there was still an important point not being made: The economics of the 15-minute city don’t really work.