Carrboro Powerdown Transportation

Transportation ideas developed by Carrboro Powerdown for Carrboro, North Carolina as it copes with energy descent.

Public Transportation

 * more and smaller vehicles running in town with larger feeders from outlying areas.
 * study places like DC or NYC.
 * charge for buses to help pay for itself, take that money and put it into energy efficiency measures and rebates.
 * shift away from infrastructure oriented solutions. New infrastructure is a priority, of course, but I'd like to see short term, visible, and inexpensive solutions that can build momentum - the "Curritiba" approach.
 * Develop a public transportation system that is accessible to everyone, connects with other local systems, and is convenient
 * A plan to get county officials to trade in their government-issued sport-utility vehicles?

Bicycling

 * wide outer lanes, no bike lanes,
 * equal rights and responsibilities for all.
 * bike lanes are needed to stimulate urban cycling - as a form of marketing and promotion. [Per Tom Ed White]


 * A connection between Umstead and Carrboro.


 * Redesign of East Franklin to accomodate bicyclists. One solution would be to repaint it into two wide outer lanes and a center turn lane.

"Catenary" type of system Electric buses or trolleys
 * Longer-term need some form of electric transportation or alternative powered


 * Local strategic petroleum reserve at old airport tanks


 * Purchase bigger tanks (and store somewhere other than a flood plain)

Will go into full production for several manufacturers Congress looking at more substantial tax credits Off-peak charging gets support from electric utilities
 * Plug-in hybrid fleets charged at night

Ideas to Develop further
Encourage working 4-10’s where feasible
 * Working 4-10s


 * telecommuting where feasible


 * Turn off vehicles, do not leave them idling.