Accessibility in Practice: 20-Minute City as a Sustainability Planning Goal

Abstract

Cities can enhance their sustainability planning by prioritizing accessibility as a performance metric for transportation planning. In this context, accessibility measures the ease of reaching opportunities and captures more characteristics of sustainable cities than the more conventionally used mobility metrics, focusing on the overall ability to move and generally recommending faster speeds to overcome distance. However, how cities can prioritize accessibility in planning is understudied. This research presents a case of Tempe, Arizona, putting accessibility into practice through a 20-min lens. Using a 20-min threshold for all modes, the city aims to promote travel for daily activities that is less reliant on private autos. The analysis presented here documents the challenges that planners face when planning for accessibility. The challenges range from technical points to decisions that need to be made about the quality of the built environment. The analysis also shows that Tempe, which is a classically suburban city of wide roads and single-family homes that was built around the automobile, is highly accessible by a 20-min metric by bicycling, walking and transit. These results suggest that planners focus on street network improvements that prioritize accessibility as part of a sustainability strategy.

Introducing the “15-Minute City”: Sustainability, Resilience and Place Identity in Future Post-Pandemic Cities

“…Therefore, the proximity dimension for cyclists would be defined differently from that of those on foot. Indeed, on this matter, there had been other concepts such as 20-min cities [41] and 30-min cities [115], but the bottom line in all of those is the need to underline that proximity-based planning is key in sustaining quality of life and in providing for the basic urban functions. On this subject, the current concept by Moreno is based on the understanding that within the 15-min radius, it is possible for a city to incorporate all the basic essentials, including walking and bicycle lanes, while also incorporating digital solutions to enhance the residents' experience and improve livability status.…”

“…Another variation to the "15-minute city" concept is by Capasso Da Silva, et al [41] who note that it is possible to plan cities that are accessible within a 20-Minute walk, cycling or transit. The authors' conviction is that during the planning stages, concentration should be on accessibility rather than transportation aspects which have inspired most cities to date.…”

Analysis of lockdown for CoViD-19 impact on NO2 in London, Milan and Paris: What lesson can be learnt?

“…Unfortunately, the results of this initiative are not yet available but similar plans gave positive results (e.g. Portland (Oregon, U.S.A.) and Tempe (Arizona, U.S.A.) ( Capasso Da Silva et al, 2019 )). In general, a more rational and coordinated localization of the main public and private offices and services would allow to significantly optimize urban travel allowing to reduce pollutants emission.…”

The impact of COVID-19 related regulations and restrictions on mobility and potential for sustained climate mitigation across the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK: A data-based commentary.

“…Government and public health-related communication strategies could highlight and inform citizens about potential personal benefits and frame active modes of transportation as healthy and good for the environment to motivate more citizens to adopt and maintain pro-environmental travel behaviours. The concept of local living or the 15/20-minute city concept, whereby people have access to education, shopping, employment and community facilities within 15/20 minutes of their home, is one option for achieving and maintaining high levels of active transport (Capasso Da Silva et al, 2020). Local living promotes sustainability and liveability, along with improving the well-being, social and economic aspects of the lives of citizens.…”