[SustainableTompkins] Cyclovia and beyond

[Bethany Schroeder]

Renewed energy (no pun intended) in this area of inquiry is definitely
in order. I think a lot of people around here have been burned by
repeated efforts at getting bike lanes built and generally promoting a
more alternative approach to transportation. Maybe the time is right,
Andy. You should be able to call the mayor and the Ithaca/Tompkins
County Transportation Council and the city council members individually 
and as a whole and traffic engineers, just for starters.

As I said, lots of people have tried. Maybe you'll succeed where others
haven't.

Bethany



Andy Goodell wrote:
> 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
> 
> 
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