Work

Why do residents still drive and travel beyond high-accessibility neighborhoods? Examining the challenges to the 15-minute city concept

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The 15-minute city concept promotes proximity to essential services as a pathway to more walkable, localized lifestyles. However, proximity may not be sufficient for such behavior, as residents in highly accessible neighborhoods often continue to drive or travel beyond their immediate surroundings. This study uses non-work trip data for trips originating from high-accessibility neighborhoods in Chicago to explore three sets of factors beyond proximity that shape travel decisions: (1) the spatial configuration of amenities, (2) built environment features, and (3) individual and trip characteristics. A novel metric, the “harmony of amenities,” is developed to capture the functional synergy among co-located amenities from empirical co-visitation patterns. The analysis is based on a bivariate probit model that jointly estimates destination choice (within or outside the 15-minute walkshed) and mode choice (walking or driving). Results reveal that while proximity is necessary, it is not sufficient. Pedestrian-oriented urban design features such as sidewalks, parks, and visually compact streetscapes, along with the functional harmony of nearby amenities, trip purpose, and individual characteristics, significantly shape both mode and destination choices. These results underscore the need for a more nuanced approach to implementing the 15-minute city concept, one that moves beyond simply increasing the number of nearby amenities to improving built environment quality, optimizing spatial arrangements of amenities, and integrating behavioral insights.

Source: Sustainable Cities and Society

DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2026.107597

Authors: Seung Jae Lieu, Subhrajit Guhathakurta

Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Urban Transport and Accessibility

Subfield: Transportation

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,870