Experiencing cities on foot

If there is one thing Americans can envy the inhabitants of the old continent – current political contingencies aside – it is undoubtedly the liveability of their cities. For a good understanding: we are talking in terms of the accessibility and proximity of basic services, which often translates into healthier citizens and cleaner air. This is confirmed by a recent Italian study, ‘A universal framework for inclusive 15-minute cities’, which appeared in Nature Cities, an online scientific journal dedicated to the study of cities.

The ‘15-minute city’ is an expression coined by urban planner Carlos Moreno, who as early as 2016 began reflecting on the need to transform urban space in a more sustainable way, also to reconcile the new rhythms of life and leisure time. For the professor at the Sorbonne, the city of a quarter of an hour means hyper-proximity and accessibility: in less than 15 minutes, a resident should be able to access the services essential for everyday life.

The study by the academic Matteo Bruno - reported by The Economist in an article entitled ‘What can the world's most walkable cities teach other places?’ - calculated the ‘walkability’ (the possibility for residents to reach services on foot) of more than 10,000 cities worldwide. The research, which in its initial analysis deals with an in-depth reflection on the feasibility of 15-minute cities, draws up a real ranking of the ‘most walkable’ urban centres (with over 500,000 inhabitants) in the world. A graph shows the top 50 large cities where services such as bars, supermarkets, schools, museums and restaurants are within a short walking distance from home, on average, for the urban population.

The top city in the ranking is Milan, with an average of 6.4 minutes walking distance to basic services and 97.5% of residents able to access services with a 15-minute walk. Next in line are Copenhagen, Turin, Dublin, Lyon, Munich and Paris. The research therefore shows that European cities are the most ‘pedestrian-friendly’, occupying 45 of the top 50 places in the ranking. As for Asian cities, Taipei in Taiwan and Kyoto in Japan are among the most walkable. North American urban centres, on the other hand, are absent from the ‘Top 50’. This is not surprising if we consider the model of US metropolises, characterised by large residential neighbourhoods far from central services, often designed with cars in mind rather than pedestrians. The top city in North America is Vancouver, which ranks 53rd in the world. An exception to the American trend is Manhattan, which is highly walkable, unlike other New York neighbourhoods, which lower the Big Apple's average.

Beyond the ranking, researchers have attempted to identify methods, such as urban planning, to make the urban landscape more favourable to walking. Take Paris, for example, which is already in a good position in the ranking: with a few changes, it could become even more inclusive and accessible. According to the survey data, the majority of Parisians currently take an average of only 8 minutes to reach the main services on foot and 93% of them live in neighbourhoods that can be reached in 15 minutes. Using an algorithm, the authors experimented with how some city services could be moved to further shorten travel times. With a little urban reorganisation, in fact, the researchers believe that it would be possible to save another two minutes on average travel time and increase the percentage of citizens living in neighbourhoods reachable in 15 minutes to 97%.

Although incentives may be needed to persuade shops and restaurants to move to quieter areas, giving people the opportunity to quickly reach essential services on foot has an impact on the quality of life. Think about the reduction in pollution, the promotion of physical activity and the health of citizens, as well as the increase in free time taken away from travelling. More pedestrian traffic can also have a positive economic impact on local bars and shops. And if we think about it even more, walking in the city can even benefit socialising and the sense of community.