Why Building a 20-Minute Walkable City Is Harder Than You Think

Walkable cities are good for health, living costs, and potentially the environment, but retrofitting cities to become more walkable is costly.

Shoppers walk around Pitt Street Mall in Sydney, Australia, on June 7, 2022. Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Walkable cities are beneficial for health, living costs, and potentially the environment, but retrofitting cities to become more walkable is difficult and costly.

A good example of walkability is the 20-minute neighbourhood, where all needs, for example, shops and services, schools, and parks, can be met within a 20-minute round trip on foot.