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Letter: Car free

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Staff

Last Tuesday was Car Free Day, an annual international event when people reflect on how our lives and our communities are improved when we develop and use alternatives to the personal automobile. Our communities are healthier when people choose to travel by foot, bicycle and public transit.

Local governments and our elected leaders play a critical role in the success of initiatives that enable healthy travel choices, such as constructing trails and greenways, improving the sidewalk network and supporting walkable compact development over sprawl. Such initiatives also help people who are unable to drive or cannot afford to drive.

Chapel Hill and Carrboro have a history of supporting alternative transportation and Car Free Day. From 2004 to 2006, thousands of local residents answered a call from The Village Project and pledged not to drive for one day, saving thousands of tons of carbon from our imperiled atmosphere and improving local air quality. In 2007, town leaders adopted resolutions in support of an Amtrak train station in Hillsborough. The Town of Chapel Hill has consistently supported and promoted Car Free Day locally. Hearing from citizens that they like having choices other than driving is one reason why our communities have made such strides in promoting sustainable transportation options.

Even if you missed Car Free Day this past Tuesday, you can still make a difference by participating in Try Transit Week, Sept. 28-Oct. 2. On Tuesday the 29th, if you ride your bike to a Triangle Transit bus, you can ride the bus for free. On Thursday, all the transit agencies in the region will be fare free, so it’s a great time to try taking the bus somewhere new. The website GoTriangle.org has links on the homepage to all the activities going on. Learn more, and join the movement for healthier, more sustainable mobility in the Triangle!

Jenny Rogers
The Village Project

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