Friday, January 13, 2006

Car Free Days in Northern California

There can be no doubt that high gas prices, traffic jams, and bad-air days all cause increasing frustration for drivers. Many of these problems also cost city governments quite a bit of money. However, there is a simple solution: don’t drive. This may sound ridiculous, but know that some Northern California cities are trying new methods of reducing some of these problems.

On September 22, 2004, the city of Oakland participated in International Car Free Day. This awareness event has its origins in Europe and aims to have drivers spend one day without using a car and to watch what happens during that day. Hopefully, during the process residents will learn from the event and explore transportation alternatives. The neighboring city of Berkeley also participated in the day’s events. The event was considered a success and Oakland plans to continue its effort in 2006.

No comments: