Apr 22, 2007 1:50 pm US/Eastern
Group Wants Baltimore To Designate Car-Free Days
BALTIMORE (AP) ―
A nonprofit group is hoping Baltimore will follow the lead of Bogota, Colombia; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Ottawa and other cities in designating car-free Ciclovia days.
Car-free days support alternative transportation methods and encourage bicycle tourism and other healthy cultural and commercial activities.
Richard Chambers, executive director of One Less Car, believes the idea could help transform Baltimore into a more livable, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly town.
"With gas prices, congestion and obesity increasing, it's a like a perfect storm," Chambers told The Baltimore Examiner. "I think the time is right for changing our transportation focus."
One Less Car is a statewide nonprofit organization that advocates for safe and effective cycling and walking through education, lobbying and facilitating community and government partnerships.
Chambers said the inspiration for briefly closing Baltimore's downtown streets came from One Less Car board member Greg Cantori, who has participated in Bogota's regular and well-attended Ciclovia.
Ciclovia is a Spanish term that means bike path. Bogota is regarded as the originator of the concept, and the city closes about 75 miles of streets to automobile traffic every Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Oscar Edmundo Diaz, who served as an aide to former Bogota Mayor Enrique PeÉnalosa, told The (Baltimore) Sun last year that the car-free days bring all aspects of society together.
"The beauty of the Ciclovia is, it's a place where everyone meets as equals. You are basically connecting poor neighborhoods with rich neighborhoods," Diaz said.
El Paso, Texas, is planning a pilot run of a Ciclovia program, beginning in May. The city plans to hold car-free days every Sunday in May from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on a route running through the city.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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