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EVERYONE Should Have Easy Access to Public Transit

Sometimes, getting around without a car isn’t as easy as it could or should be. And that’s what’s driving Sustain Charlotte’s Walk2Transit initiative and their ask for you to be a part of it. The Walk2Transit goal is to, “gives a voice to bus riders and transit advocates,” and lead to improved and easier walkable access to some of Charlotte’s highest need bus stops.

Here’s why Sustain Charlotte says this is so important:

3 out of every 4 public transportation trips in the CATS service area are bus rides. While rail service gets most of the news coverage and publicity, buses are moving far more of us to our daily destinations. 

Yet many bus riders face unpleasant and unsafe barriers as they walk to and from their stops. Bus riders frequently encounter:

• No sidewalks to the bus stop

• No shelter or seating at the bus stop

• No safe way to cross the street between the bus stop and their destination

• Conditions that make it nearly impossible for a disabled person or parent with small children to safely reach a bus stop 

So what can be done with that sort of info? That’s where we can all play a part by volunteering for a Walkability Tour. The tours will be guided by Sustain Charlotte staff and give you the opportunity to learn about the history and current state of Charlotte’s transit system.

“This is an opportunity to make sure everyone has a comfortable and dignified walk to the bus stop,” said Sustain Charlotte’s Meg Fencil.

Volunteering is easy. Just check out this link or email meg.Fencil@sustaincharlotte.org to ask questions or get in on an existing tour. The perfect group size is about ten people, so bring friends. You’ll be bettering access to public transit options, and making a huge difference in your own hometown!

 

Google Doodle is Reminder of Easy Ways to Make a Difference

We’ll admit it. We love the Google Doodle. We’ve picked up bits on famous people, special days, and other helpful bits, or just enjoyed the general diversion on our way to whatever it was we were after.

In today’s Doodle, our friend the fox is back with his other cute, cartoon pals – and he’s got a pretty serious reminder about why Earth Day is worth celebrating.

Spoiler alert: Here’s the long and short of how the story goes. Our fox friend wakes from a fitful sleep, after nightmares about what could be. But rather than wait and worry, he springs into action to make a difference. And better still, he enlists his friends to come along for the ride.

Google Doodler Sophie Diao told writer Madeline Buxton she did her homework before creating her Earth Day Doodle.

«I did a lot of research into coral bleaching for the doodle, and it surprised and saddened me that these underwater ecosystems were so fragile,» says Google doodler Sophie Diao. «I also learned how everything is interconnected, so the rising temperatures in the sea lead to all kinds of effects beyond just melting ice caps.»

Instead of taking a macro approach to enacting change, Diao went smaller.

«I wanted to focus the Doodle on what an individual contributor can do for the environment,» says Diao. «There’s a lot of distressing news about changes to our ecosystems, but it can be hard to know how to help as just one person. That’s why I wanted to create a story about individuals coming together to do something about it.»

Conserving doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, following through to the end of today’s Doodle you’ll find several easy things to do that can make a big difference if we all just do a little.

Enjoy! We’re looking forward to seeing you all for some outdoor time May 7 and the next Open Streets 704 powered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.

Protected Bike Lane Project Debuts During Open Streets

What might it be like to have easier, safer bike connectivity between Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood along one of the city’s busiest connector roads? We’ll all get to see it – and try it – during a protected bike lane demonstration during the May 7 Open Streets 704, powered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

As part of the event’s day-of happenings, Charlotte Department of Transportation planners, with volunteer assistance from Sustain Charlotte and local consultants, will set up a temporary or “pop up” protected bike lane on The Plaza from Central Avenue to Mimosa Avenue. This demonstration is the first-of-its-kind in the Queen City. Practically speaking, the protected lane will help people in Plaza Midwood, Villa Heights, Optimist Park and NoDa get to and from the event route more easily by bike. Big picture, it will give anyone who wants to ride or drive it the opportunity to get a feel for how bikes and cars can coexist on busy streets.

Cyclists will be protected in the pop-up bike lanes by tall orange delineators (the slender cones you typically see installed permanently on the street to keep drivers from crossing over a lane) and a 3-foot striped buffer. In addition, temporary staging areas will be set up at the intersection of The Plaza and Central Avenue to give cyclists room to make a safe crossing. As an added measure of safety, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer will also be stationed at the intersection for anyone who needs extra help crossing Central Avenue.

The pop-up demonstration is part of a larger picture for cyclist safety in our city. While these temporary bike lanes will be removed following the Open Streets 704 event, the Charlotte Department of Transportation is currently working on a pilot project to install a protected bike lane across uptown. That project will eventually connect to Little Sugar Creek Greenway (in the east) to Irwin Creek Greenway (in the west) and would give cyclists of all abilities a comfortable way to travel through Uptown.

Want to glimpse into the future? Then come out on to Open Streets 704 on May 7 and get a look at what could be a safer, more accessible Charlotte!

About Open Streets 704 powered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

Open Streets 704, rolled out by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, is also made possible by a generous grant from the Knight Foundation, in partnership with Partners for Parks, Mecklenburg County Government, the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation, the Mecklenburg County Health Department, the support of Charlotte B-Cycle, the Charlotte Chamber’s Healthy Charlotte Council, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and Charlotte Fire departments.

For more information, check out https://openstreets704.com, or stay connected with the program on Facebook and Instagram!

We stopped by The Charlotte Podcast this week – take a listen!

https://soundcloud.com/cltpodcast/episode-070-open-streets-704-and-mora