Cleveland Mayor Wants a 15-Minute City

The mayor of Cleveland expressed the goal to become the first “15-minute city” in America at his State of the City speech. Experts say it’s possible.

2 minute read

April 18, 2022, 7:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Cleveland Public Square

Lucky-photographer / Shutterstock

As reported in an article by Sara Shookman, “Mayor Justin Bibb says Cleveland wants to be the first 15-minute city in North America, introducing the concept during his State of the City speech Wednesday.”

Matt Moss, a planner with Cleveland City Planning Commission, said “It's starting out with the city we have now, … and then asking residents how they might want their community to grow or change in ways that, again, make things accessible or provide them with more opportunities to access the things they want to get to in their day to day lives.”

City planners will develop a list of existing amenities and assess what different neighborhoods are lacking in terms of walkability. “In some neighborhoods, they find it's more quality that's lacking due to busted sidewalks or lack of bike lanes or bus stops. In others, when it comes to green space or food justice, neighborhoods are lacking altogether.”

Dr. Darcy Freedman, director of the Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health, highlighted the importance of access to healthy food and affordable basic staples. “Freedman's team is launching a new study in June called ‘Nourishing Neighborhoods, Empowering Community,’ examining how investing in people rather than just infrastructure can transform the food system.”

The “15-minute city” concept, first introduced in Europe, has become a shorthand for walkable, livable cities that put residents within easy reach of jobs, transit, commerce, and other daily needs. While proponents of the idea argue that it provides a useful vision for improving the day-to-day conditions of urban neighborhoods, the movement has received criticism for not taking into account specific historical conditions in American cities and the ways in which they exacerbate inequality and car-centric development. Economist Edward Glaeser has called it a “dead end.” To Glaeser, the 15-minute city describes a neighborhood, not a city. “All cities should be archipelagos of neighbourhoods, but these neighbourhoods must be connected.” In a recent example illustrating this contradiction, a “15-minute city” being built from scratch in Utah will nevertheless include around 40,000 parking spots.

Thursday, April 14, 2022 in WKYC

Large historic homes and white picket fences line a street.

The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia

Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.

March 23, 2023 - The Washington Post

Amtrak Acela Express train passing through Harrison station in Newark, New Jersey

‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts

Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.

March 28, 2023 - StreetsBlog NYC

Buses in downtown Seattle on the dedicated 3rd Avenue bus lanes

Seattle Bus Lane Cameras Capture Over 100,000 Violations

An automated traffic enforcement pilot program caught drivers illegally using transit lanes more than 110,000 times in less than a year.

March 28, 2023 - Axios

View of Statue of Liberty with New York City skyline in background

Immigration Grows, Population Drops in Many U.S. Counties

International immigration to the country’s most populous areas tripled even as major metropolitan areas continued to lose population.

March 31 - The New York Times

Detroit Sports Arena

$616 Million in Development Incentives Approved for District Detroit

The “Transformational Brownfield” incentives approved by the Detroit City Council for the $1.5 billion District Detroit still require approval by the state.

March 31 - Detroit Free Press

A red sign reads, “Welcome to New Canaan.”

Affordable Housing Development Rejected for Lack of Third Staircase in Connecticut

The New Canaan Planning Commission rejected a development proposal, including 31 below-market-rate apartments, for lack of a third staircase, among other reasons, at a time when advocates are pushing to relax two-staircase requirements.

March 31 - Stamford Advocate

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

HUD’s 2023 Innovative Housing Showcase

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.