Experts: Vilnius residents lose nearly a month of life annually to traffic

The concept of a "15-minute city," where essential services are accessible within a short walk or bike ride, is gaining traction globally. Initially proposed by Sorbonne University professor Carlos Moreno in 2016, the idea gained prominence during the pandemic as people recognized the value of proximity to daily necessities.

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The only thing you can never buy is time. A person who spends a couple of hours in traffic jams every day loses almost a month of their life per year. They could spend that time with family, resting, or doing their favorite activities.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo adopted the concept, leading to urban redesigns. Cities like Milan, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, and Portland have followed suit, while Utrecht residents already enjoy 15-minute accessibility by bike. Construction company "KRS" head Paulius Grigas emphasizes that the core value is saving people's time, which cannot be bought. He calculates that individuals stuck in traffic for two hours daily lose nearly a month of their lives annually, time that could be spent with family or on hobbies.

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When not only residential buildings but also shops, cafes, educational or healthcare facilities appear in one block, it becomes "alive" all day. Such neighborhoods are not only more convenient for residents but also economically stronger.

Grigas explains that cities were historically designed around cars, separating residential areas, workplaces, and services. This necessitates long commutes and leaves parts of cities underutilized. Creating mixed-use neighborhoods with homes, shops, and services makes areas more vibrant and economically robust. However, transforming existing cities presents significant challenges, not just technically but also in changing ingrained public habits developed over decades of car-centric planning.

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Changing an existing city is like changing the foundations of a house while people are living in it. We have been creating cities for cars for decades, so changing not only the streets but also the public's attitude takes time.

Lithuania's Ministry of Transport acknowledges that while the term "15-minute city" isn't always used, its principles are being implemented through sustainable mobility plans. Vice Minister Dovilė Sujetaitė stated that efforts focus on reducing car dependency, improving pedestrian, cycling, and public transport access, and developing multifunctional urban districts. Major Lithuanian cities are expanding infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, modernizing public transport, and upgrading public spaces. Smaller towns often benefit from compact designs that already make many services easily accessible on foot.

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The aim is to reduce dependence on individual cars, improve accessibility of services on foot, by bicycle, and by public transport, and create multifunctional urban districts.