Any of you who watched The End of Suburbia recently should be ready for this: tomorrow is Car Free Day! If you pledge to go car free on the NC Car Free web site you can win a prize, and everyone is invited to Weaver Street Market to celebrate Car Free Day. (Considering that it's Thursday at 6pm, car-free is about the only way to get to WSM anyway.)
On September 22, 2005, Orange and Durham County citizens in North Carolina will join over 1400 cities and towns throughout the United States and 37 other countries in celebrating World Car Free Day. We'd like you to join the celebration! http://www.gocarfree.com
There will be an event at Weaver Street Market from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Car Free Day (Sept 22) with information about public transportation, carpooling, biodiesel, Village Project Concept Plans for Carolina North, and more!
NEW THIS YEAR: WALK TO SHOP! Starting on Car Free Day, The Village Project, in cooperation with Weaver Street Market, is offering folding grocery carts for sale at both Weaver Street Market locations. These sturdy, lightweight wire carts are tools for everyday walkability as they allow you to walk to grocery shopping and easily take home several big bags.
So now I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get to the Sierra Club Forum in Hillsborough without my car. Anyone want to carpool?
In a related story, yesterday I had to drive to Charlote (twice, long story) and I-4o had an accident that was apparently blocking all 4 lanes. As usual, the information offered to drivers who needed it was too little too late. After I reached my destination I checked the NC Department of Transportation website for information. While I was there I came across this survey for "N.C. Thinking Ahead!" It includes questions about how you get to work and whether you think the state should spend more money or roads or transit.
Gov. Mike Easley recently asked Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett to assemble a special working group called N.C. Thinking Ahead! to help find ways to meet more of the state's growing transportation needs. This 12-member group comprises leaders and representatives of transportation organizations from across the state.
To help accomplish the group's mission, N.C. Thinking Ahead! would like to hear from you on the issue of transportation.
Issues:
Comments
Ruby, Thanks for the plug!
Ruby,
Thanks for the plug! Pledges continue to pour in and frankly, Car Free Day looks like an increasingly important event in light of the hit our fuel infrastructure may take later this week:
Rita's oil Punch Could Hit Harder Than Katrina
We're also rolling out (pun intended) a new initiative called "Walk To Shop" cooperatively with Weaver Street Market. You'll be able to buy a personal shopping cart that folds up so you can carry transport bigger loads from the store to your home without driving. Carts will be available at both WSM stores.
Patrick, talking WSM but
Patrick, talking WSM but thinking UNC-North, wouldn't this be the kind of element to integrate into that plan? What about electric carts (I'm talking small carts here) crafted after the Zip car model to lug stuff about on the new ZERO-car ( ;-) ) campus?
Is it legal to drive golf
Is it legal to drive golf carts (not on main roads/highways but on secondary streets) in Carrboro/CH? I would love to drive one around for in-town stuff (if it's affordable enough).
I ride my electric segway
I ride my electric segway around town with no legal problems. It has been enlightening to try to figure a way to get everywhere that is both well light (at night) and has either a bike lane or adequate shoulder.
oops..I mean well lit! No
oops..I mean well lit!
No more multi tasking for the blond chick.
Seriously: how am I going to
Seriously: how am I going to get to the Sierra Club forum in Hillsborough? Does anyone want to carpool? The bus only runs until 4pm. :(
Ruby, I believe Patrick is
Ruby, I believe Patrick is planning to make some kind of folding vehicle available - just watch the down hills, the wheels are very wobbly.
In the old days we would
In the old days we would have grabbed our skateboards and the nearest bumper...
In case anyone hasn't made
In case anyone hasn't made the connection between today's event and Saturday's march in Washington, consider this comment from former Chapel Hill Transporation Director Bob Godding as reported in the April 17, 1991 Chapel Hill News:
Godding was participating in a press event for Transportation Alternatives Week, sponsored in 1991 by the Triangle Network for Transporation and area towns, and counties.
That is exactly the
That is exactly the connection, Dan.
But oh my god. Town Transportation Director. Fourteen years ago.
How far we've fallen on so many fronts.
I wish elected officials would take moral, public stands on issues of national policy. I wish they'd weigh in on matters of great national significance.
Even if they disagree with me.
I wish this quote had come from the Chapel Hill Mayor last week.
I wish I wasn't so depressed by all this.
Reminds me of a bumper
Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw the other day
"How did our oil end up under their land".
Jim, I imagine you want a
Jim, I imagine you want a national perspective to drive local action.
What can we do here? "Green Fleets" is a starting point.
More here.
We drove to Carrboro and
We drove to Carrboro and parked at the public lot across from Carrburritos to go to the Carrboro Music Festival. We had HOPED to take the bus...but according to the website the buses just don't RUN on Sundays. (Well, the NU and U routes run--but that wasn't going to be much help...)
Of course, there WAS "park and ride"--from Carrboro Plaza. Not much help to the CH folk.
melanie