A town in North Carolina is home to one of the largest free transportation networks in the world — and it's setting an example for the possibilities of decarbonization.
Chapel Hill and neighboring Carrboro "committed years ago to providing residents and commuters with a range of transportation alternatives — a critical step if we are to address climate change in the South," the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) reported in November.
The towns feature 25 miles of greenways and 15 miles of bike lanes and will soon be even more connected by a greenway extension. Bicycles are a popular mode of transportation, and Chapel Hill Transit in 2022 gave 3.4 million rides despite the cities' combined population of just 83,396.
SELC noted that the small, wealthy municipalities and local University of North Carolina make such efforts possible.
On the other hand, what they have achieved is remarkable. In North Carolina, at least 90% of the state's transportation budget must be spent on highway projects, according to SELC. The legislature also prohibits the use of state funds for standalone bicycle and pedestrian projects and limits public transportation expenditures.
"If localities had more of a say in how to spend that money, I think you would see a lot of municipalities choose to build complete transportation systems, not transportation networks that really only accommodate cars," local urban planner Geoff Green told SELC.
Other transit methods include free bus programs, which a study showed reduced depression symptoms by 12%. As they did in Chapel Hill, free-fare bus routes have taken off in larger cities such as Washington, D.C., and Kansas City in Kansas and Missouri.
Walkability also provides bang for its buck: improving health, making cities accessible, efficient, and cleaner, and even increasing business at local stores.
SELC stated the region's focus on personal automobile infrastructure has "limited access to jobs, doctors, healthy food options, and other essentials for everyday life" and "divided many communities of color, often destroying neighborhoods and taking away generational wealth."
The goal is to reduce pollution and improve public health, equity, and economic development with a clean, connected statewide transportation network.
"Investing in highway alternatives helps people who need to use the roads by reducing traffic and it provides critical options for people who need them — everyone wins," Megan Kimball, SELC senior attorney, said.
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