Oxford, England is implementing a trial run of traffic filters designed to reduce traffic levels by targeting unnecessary journeys by cars. The pilot program will place traffic filters on six strategically-selected roads for at least six months before determining if the program will continue. The plan requires residents to purchase a permit to drive a car in designated locations during certain restricted hours. Permits are typically required for cars to use selected roads between 7AM and 7PM.

 The response to this experiment has been shocking. Two thousand people took to the streets to protest the new traffic calming plan. Their reproval starts with a justifiable concern that the new policy might curtail personal choice. However, the protests spiraled into conspiracy theories around “The 15-minute city,” claiming that Oxford is part of a new world order of tyrannical control. The theories have gained legitimacy among some prominent figures. In February, British MP Nick Fletcher called 15-minute cities an “international socialist concept” that will “cost all of us our personal freedoms.” So what is a 15-minute city?

The 15-minute city, a term coined by the Columbian urbanist Carlos Moreno, is a city where most daily necessities and desires are located within a 15-minute trip by foot or bike. In practice, it means city planners and local governments adopt policies for mixed-use development, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and public space revitalization. In this kind of city, residents can easily commute to work, their barber, the grocery store, or a bar. It places people at the center of the city planning instead of cars. It reclaims our cities as social centers and encourages healthier lifestyles and a cleaner environment. The 15-minute city is NOT an international conspiracy. Nobody is being forced to live in these cities or being prevented from leaving. People are free to live in rural areas, suburbs, or traditional cities. However, this new approach to planning cities will confer many benefits onto citizens who live in and around them, and should become more common practice.

American cities have been designed to accommodate as many cars as possible, to the detriment of those living there. Highway construction has ripped apart neighborhoods and torn down homes. There are three to eight parking stalls for every registered vehicle in the country. In Los Angeles, parking occupies more land than housing. Thousands of pedestrians are hit and killed by cars each year. On top of that, pollution from cars leads to an abundance of health issues through air pollution. There is a better way. We have to stop designing cities for cars. 

Take a look at two examples from Paris and Philadelphia that show the difference between streets designed for cars versus people. The first picture shows a street in Paris in 2017 and 2022 after the local government redesigned the street to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists. The new design allows for more people to access the area, increases social and civic activity, and even allows easier access for emergency vehicles. The second photo shows a street in Philadelphia in 2020 during the pandemic on the left and in 2023 on the right. Again, we see greater accessibility, a more visually appealing and vibrant social scene, and more economic opportunities for store owners when we remove cars from the street. 

In addition to the benefits demonstrated by the pictures above, designing our cities for pedestrians and bicyclists will promote positive public health outcomes. Evidence shows that there is a very strong correlation between walkability and health. One study from 2004 revealed that each additional hour spent in an automobile per day was associated with a 6 percent increase in the likelihood of obesity. Conversely, each additional kilometer walked per day was associated with a 4.8 percent reduction in the likelihood of obesity. Even just spending time outside correlates with lower stress levels and boosted immune function. Besides personal health benefits, taking cars off the streets is incredibly beneficial in reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Air pollution from vehicles is killing people at an alarming rate. In 2018, New York City had more premature deaths attributable to air pollution than homicides. Reducing car dependency is a necessary step to reduce air pollution, but also as a part of a larger effort to combat climate change. Transportation is the top contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, contributing 27% of total emissions. Any fight against climate change and global warming has to start with changing our habits in transportation. Alternatives such as electric vehicles can be part of the solution, but more is needed, as the emissions from lithium mining and tire wear still significantly impact the environment. Electric vehicles can never make sprawled development where the grocery store is a twenty-minute drive away sustainable. We have to fundamentally rethink our cities to reduce dependency on single-occupancy vehicles. The 15-minute city begins to do that. 

Planning cities to have higher density and mixed-use neighborhoods also has significant economic benefits. Accommodating more storefronts will create new jobs and attract shoppers, bringing money into the community. Compact central business districts bring in ten times as much tax revenue per acre as conventional suburban development. This means that investment in smart-growth strategies can save massive amounts of money in the long run as economic activity increases in the area. Economic benefits go all the way down to the individual level. Residents in drivable suburbs spend, on average, 24% of their budget on transportation, while residents of walkable neighborhoods spend half that. Designing 15-minute cities will lead to more economic activity, personal savings, and tax revenues. 

The best case for the 15-minute city is the distinct social benefits it provides. When we build our cities for people instead of cars, we allow our cities to be lively social centers. People can walk, shop, and eat in the streets with their friends and families. It no longer requires getting in the car and driving somewhere, an option that is inaccessible for many, to engage in social activities.  People begin to appreciate their neighborhoods more if they spend time walking through them instead of driving. They want to take care of it, beautify, and protect it. Walking is associated with higher levels of arts organizations, creativity, and civic engagement. Communities thrive as more street interactions will increase the sense of connectivity within a city and build social capital. On an individual level, people who walk are happier than those who spend time in a car. Someone with a one-hour commute to work must earn 40% more to be as happy as someone with a short walk to work. Providing people the opportunity to co-exist with their neighbors in public spaces makes for a more convenient and enjoyable lifestyle and our city planning should reflect that reality.

With all of these benefits, the next question to ask is if the 15-minute city is something that people actually want. Despite the conspiracy theorists in Oxford, a 2020 survey from the National Association of Realtors revealed that 70% of respondents consider it somewhat or very important to have a short commute to work when looking for a place to live. 85% believe it is somewhat or very important to have sidewalks or places to take walks, and over half would value having bike lanes and paths nearby when looking for a new home. 57% of respondents said they would be willing to spend more to live in a more walkable community. The demand for this kind of city is there; it is on city planners and local governments to deliver. 

The 15-minute city is part of a larger movement called new urbanism, promoting walkable cities and mixed-use development. It is about creating sustainable communities for people to live healthier and happier lives. Many city planners and local governments worldwide are working towards these goals. There are some legitimate concerns about what 15-minute cities will look like. Planners must take smart measures to ensure these neighborhoods don’t become wealthy areas segregated from the rest of the city. The existing community must be a part of any process to change the way their city is designed. However, if planners and communities work together, there is a lot of promise in the idea of the 15-minute city.  Building cities for cars has left streets congested and public spaces non-existent. It is time for us to reclaim our cities as the vibrant social and economic centers they have the potential to be.