Come out for this fun weekend event in Carrboro!

Check out Carrboro Bicycle Coalition’s website for more information.

Join   community members, Town and University leaders, and Downtown Business and  Property Owners on  Tuesday, June   25  6 to 7:30 p.m.  Sky Lounge at Greenbridge  601 Rosemary   Street, Chapel Hill This is the first in a series of community meetings about Rosemary Imagined; an   innovative community-led planning initiative that will refine our thinking of   how Rosemary Street fits into the development and growth of downtown Chapel   Hill. Come for information, conversation, and imagination about Rosemary   Street and share your thoughts! Light refreshments will be provided. This community event is   part of a 10-month process of engagement with the Town of Chapel Hill and the   community to bring together several recent efforts by the community into a   complete vision for the future of the Rosemary Street corridor.  The Rosemary Street   corridor was identified during the Chapel Hill 2020 process as one of the   five Big Ideas; the “Big Ideas” are initiatives that embody   the essence of the Chapel Hill 2020 goals and will serve as a beacon to guide   the efforts of the Town and the community as Chapel Hill’s future is   created. In addition, the 2010 draft Downtown Framework and Action   Plan developed strong new ideas about connectedness of streets and   neighborhoods and has been followed by the adoption of the Northside and Pine   Knolls Community Plan.  For   more information, visit www.rosemaryimagined.com.     Contact Dwight Bassett at 919-969-5015   and Meg McGurk at 919-967-9440 or email them at info@rosemaryimagined.com.

 

 

Dump the Pump Day

The 8th annual National Dump the Pump Day on June 20 is a day to highlight that when gas prices are high, using public transportation is a great alternative to driving that will help people save money.

We know what happens when gas prices are high. Many people park their cars and take public transportation instead. In fact, using public transportation is an economical way to beat high gas prices…if it is available. According to APTA’s most recent Transit Saving Report, a two-person household can save, on the average, more than $9,700 a year by downsizing to one car.

At a time when our economy is still hurting and gas prices are continuing to rise, people need to save money. This is a time to increase public transportation service, not decrease it. However, Congress has yet to pass a long overdue surface transportation bill that will increase public transportation investment. State and local revenues that fund public transportation have declined since the economic recession started and that has also negatively impacted public transit systems’ budgets. All levels of government – federal, state, and local – should invest more in public transportation.

From urban to suburban to rural communities, public transportation is a vital resource to Americans, and a cornerstone of our nation’s economy. Relying on public transit for their daily mobility needs, Americans use local public transportation systems to commute to and from work, to travel to school and the doctor’s office, to go shopping, and to visit with family and friends. Public transportation use reduces our nation’s dependence on foreign oil by 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline a year and it also saves 37 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually. Last, but not least, public transportation has a proven track record of reducing congestion. The latest research shows that in 2011, U.S. public transportation use saved 796 million hours in travel time, 450 million gallons of fuel, and $21 billion in congestion costs in 498 urban areas.

Quick Facts

• In 2012, Americans took 10.5 billion trips on public transportation.
• 35 million times each weekday, people board public transportation.
• Public transportation is a $57 billion industry that employs more than 400,000 people.
• More than 7,300 organizations provide public transportation in the United States.

Public Transportation Helps People Save Money

• Using public transportation is the quickest way to beat high gas prices.
• According to APTA’s Transit Saving Report, a two-person household can save, on the average, more than $9,700 a year by downsizing to one car.
• Public transportation provides an affordable, and for many, necessary, alternative to driving.

Public Transportation Provides Economic Opportunities

• Every $1 billion invested in public transportation creates and supports 36,000 jobs.
• Every $1 invested in public transportation generates approximately $4 in economic returns.
• Every $10 million in capital investment in public transportation yields $30 million in increased business sales.
• Every $10 million in operating investment yields $32 million in increased business sales.

 

Public Transportation Saves Fuel and Reduces Congestion

• Public transportation has a proven record of reducing congestion.
• The latest research shows that in 2011, U.S. public transportation use saved 865 million hours in travel time and 450 million gallons of fuel in 498 urban areas.
• Without public transportation, congestion costs in 2011 would have risen by nearly $21 billion from $121 billion to $142 billion.

Public Transportation Reduces Gasoline Consumption

• Public transportation use in the United States saves 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually.
• Households near public transit drive an average of 4,400 fewer miles than households with no access to public transit.

Public Transportation Reduces Carbon Footprint

• Public transportation use in the United States reduces our nation’s carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons annually. This is equivalent to Washington, DC; New York City; Atlanta; Denver; and Los Angeles combined stopping using electricity.
• One person with a 20-mile round trip commute who switches from driving to public transit can reduce his or her daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds, or more than 4,800 pounds in a year.
• A single commuter switching his or her commute to public transportation can reduce a household’s carbon emissions by 10 percent and up to 30 percent if he or she eliminates a second car.

Public Transportation Enhances Personal Opportunities

• Public transportation provides personal mobility and freedom for people from every walk of life.
• Access to public transportation gives people transportation options to commute to work, go to school, visit friends, or travel to a doctor’s office.
• Public transportation provides access to job opportunities for millions of Americans.