15-Minute Living

A 15-minute neighborhood is a neighborhood where residents have access to basic daily needs within a 15-minute walk. These neighborhoods are an important part of the City of Cedar Rapids’ efforts to create a more vibrant, healthy, and sustainable community. Residents in 15-minute neighborhoods rely less on cars, improving the overall health of the population. Within these neighborhoods, programs like our Rollin’ Recmobile and improved trail access help create more connections and equity, with a focus on health and wellbeing for current residents and future generations.

Improving Health Outcomes

When residents live within a 15-minute walk to basic services, they benefit in many ways. Working and living within a neighborhood can translate to more free time, a better quality of life, and stronger community ties. In addition, living within walking or biking distance of most places you go causes improved health and less vehicle pollution. Close access to parks improves personal wellbeing, too. All of these are reasons why 15-minute neighborhoods and access to nature are part of the 2050 Vision in our Community Climate Action Plan.

Parks have the greatest health impacts on those who live close to them and can use them easily and often. These benefits go beyond better physical health — improved mental health through interaction with nature is also a perk. Parks can improve the health of neighborhood residents through food programs like community gardens and planting fruit and nut trees in parks.

The City works to make sure parks are in close proximity to all residents. When planning new park spaces and amenities, planners look at areas where deficiencies exist. Hughes Park in southwest Cedar Rapids is one example of adding green space in a neighborhood where the distance to a park pushed the boundaries of 15-minute active transportation.

Through the Parks and Recreation Department’s Rollin’ Recmobile, the City brings recreational services to parks, making walkable recreation a reality for kids. The mobile van stops in 16 neighborhoods, bringing summer programs and activities to the areas where kids already play. The program also provides an opportunity for partner departments and organizations to bring critical community information about services within the 15-minute zone.

“We have been thrilled with how Rollin’ Rec has grown to include dozens of partners who join us at stops. Our presence in neighborhood parks provides a perfect opportunity for others to join and provide services or

information at the same time,” said Hashim Taylor, Parks and Recreation Department Director. The community has prioritized multi-modal connectivity, meaning that streets must serve pedestrian and bicyclists in a safe and efficient way. We strive to have trail connections or streets with bike lanes within a half mile, or 10- to 15-minute walk. These trail connections are critical for commuting and enjoying recreation.

In 2022, the City worked on 6th Street, Lindale, and Seminole Valley Trails, in addition to bikeways on six streets. In 2023, plans include work on seven trails and bikeways on five streets.

While it’s wonderful to have amenities close by, making sure everyone can use them is even better. Over the past few years, the City has invested significantly in accessibility improvements that make sidewalks, curbs, and traffic signals accessible to everyone. The vast improvements level the playing field, from sports facilities, playgrounds, and walking trails, to ramps on temporary outdoor ice rinks. Improvements have been completed in the northeast and northwest quadrants, making it easier to use every amenity within parks. Soon park improvements will be finished in the southeast quadrant, with plans finalized for the southwest quadrant this spring.