Is the Concept of a 15-Minute City Feasible in a Medium-Sized City? Spatial Analysis of the Accessibility of Municipal Services in Koszalin (Poland) Using Gis Modelling

Maciej Szkoda, Maciej Michnej, Beata Baziak, Marek Bodziony, Alicja Hrehorowicz-Nowak, Hanna Hrehorowicz-Gaber, Marcin Wołek, Aleksander Jagiełło (), Sandra Żukowska and Renata Szott
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Maciej Szkoda: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24 Street, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
Maciej Michnej: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24 Street, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
Beata Baziak: Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Energy, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24 Street, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
Marek Bodziony: Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Energy, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24 Street, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
Alicja Hrehorowicz-Nowak: Faculty of Architecture, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24 Street, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
Hanna Hrehorowicz-Gaber: Faculty of Architecture, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24 Street, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
Marcin Wołek: Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk, ul. Armii Krajowej 119/121, 81-824 Sopot, Poland
Aleksander Jagiełło: Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk, ul. Armii Krajowej 119/121, 81-824 Sopot, Poland
Sandra Żukowska: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk, Jana Bażyńskiego 8, 80-309 Gdańsk, Poland
Renata Szott: Section of the Integrated Territorial Investments, Koszalin City Office, Zwycięstwa 42, 75-007 Koszalin, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-26

Abstract: Currently, an active debate is underway among the academic community, urban planners, and policymakers regarding optimal models of urban development, given that the majority of the population now resides in cities. One concept under discussion is the 15 min city, which posits that all urban residents should be able to reach key, frequently used services within a 15 min walk or cycle. Although the literature suggests numerous potential benefits, debate persists about whether such cities would be optimal from the standpoint of sustainable development objectives and residents’ quality of life. The ongoing discussion also concerns the extent to which existing cities are capable of aligning with this concept. This is directly linked to the actual spatial distribution of individual services within the city. The literature indicates a research gap arising from a shortage of robust case studies that would enable a credible assessment of the practical implementation of this idea across diverse cities, countries, and regions. This issue pertains to Poland as well as to other countries. A desirable future scenario would involve comprehensive mapping of all cities, with respect to both the spatial distribution of specific services and related domains such as the quality and coherence of linear infrastructure. This article presents an analysis of the spatial accessibility of basic urban services in the context of implementing the 15 min city concept, using the city of Koszalin (Poland) as a case study. This city was selected due to its representative character as a medium-sized urban centre, both in terms of population and area, as well as its subregional functions within Poland’s settlement structure. Koszalin also exhibits a typical spatial and functional layout characteristic of many Polish cities. In light of growing challenges related to urbanisation, climate change, and the need to promote sustainable mobility, this study focuses on evaluating access to services such as education, healthcare, retail, public transport, and green spaces. The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) tools enabled the identification of spatial variations in service accessibility across the city. The results indicate that only 11% of Koszalin’s area fully meets the assumptions of the 15 min city concept, providing pedestrians with convenient access to all key services. At the same time, 92% of the city’s area offers access to at least one essential service within a 15 min walk. Excluding forested areas not intended for development increases these values to 14% and 100%, respectively. This highlights the extent to which methodological choices in assessing pedestrian accessibility can shape analytical outcomes and the interpretations drawn from them. Moreover, given this article’s objective and the adopted analytical procedure, the assumed pedestrian walking speed is the key parameter. Accordingly, a sensitivity analysis was conducted, comparing the reference scenario (4 km/h) with alternative variants (3 and 5 km/h). This approach demonstrates the extent to which a change in a single parameter affects estimates of urban-area coverage by access to individual services reachable on foot within 15 min. The analysis reveals limited integration of urban functions at the local scale, highlighting areas in need of planning intervention. This article proposes directions for action to improve pedestrian accessibility within the city.

Keywords: 15 min city; spatial accessibility; urban services; walkability; GIS modelling; urban mobility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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