[SustainableTompkins] Cyclovia and beyond

[Andy Goodell]

I was talking to someone about feedback the other day, in terms of 
living lighter. They said how there isn't positive feedback by driving 
less because each time you fill at the pump, you still get that shock of 
paying for a tank of gas. I told them about Ithaca's Cyclovia to the 
farmer's market being the single best piece of positive feedback in my 
transportation. I could have chosen many ways to get to the farmer's 
market, but biking as a group was by far the safest, and made me feel 
like I was part of something larger, without making a negative impact. 
Now that is positive feedback!

I mentioned closing off roads for bikes before on this listserv, which 
mostly got responses saying that's not feasible because we lack the 
density. How are we supposed to wean off oil if we make excuses instead 
of leading with actions? Check out this article about NYC, where for 3 
Saturdays this summer about 7 miles of roads are banning cars so that 
bikes and people walking can get around safely.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/nyregion/17closing.html?partner=rssnyt&em
"Saturdays in August, along a 6.9-mile stretch of streets through 
Manhattan, from the Brooklyn Bridge, north to Park Avenue and the Upper 
East Side. Cars, trucks and buses will be banned on the streets along 
the route from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 9, 16 and 23."

Bogota and NYC have the density to pull this off, but if Ithaca has 40% 
of commuters walking to work, I think it should be tried here as well. 
If dense places like NYC will try this as an experiment on a 3-time 
basis, what is to say that Ithaca cannot do something similar? I'm new 
to Ithaca, so I don't know who to contact to try to make something like 
this happen. If you have ideas, let me know. Please only reply to all if 
needed.

-Andy