One Less Car can make the world a Better Place.
Since 1973, Transportation Alternatives (T.A.) has been a leader in reducing car use in New York City. Lindsey Lusher Shute, a staff member at Transportation Alternatives, explains how the unique work environment of T.A., where many staff members themselves are avid bicyclists, contributes to the entrepreneurial, healthy spirit of the organization. “T.A. is run by a highly motivated and dedicated staff that achieves big change with relatively few resources. I’ve seen few other organizations that are nearly as dynamic, effective or fun!”
T.A. strives to decrease the amount of cars on the road in NYC. It follows a “Green Transportation Hierarchy” where certain modes of transportation are given preference over others due to “their benefits and costs to society.” Areas of T.A.’s expertise include: “Bicycling, Walking and Traffic Calming, Car-Free Parks, Safe Streets and Sensible Transportation”.
Perhaps most well-known for the NYC Century Bike Tour, the “country’s only all-urban 100 mile bike tour,” Transportation Alternatives runs numerous events and campaigns throughout the year to bring awareness and change to the streets of NYC; these include Park(ing) day, where individuals take parking spaces and temporarily make them into pedestrian spaces or “parks,” and “Block Party NYC,” which helps neighborhoods or blocks organize parties to encourage people to care and become involved in their community.
With over 8,000 members, T.A. has built a significant and reliable clientele. The minimum level of T.A. membership starts at $30; benefits include discounts at bike shops, free issues of “Reclaim Magazine,” cycling handbooks, and being a member of a rapidly growing movement to reclaim the streets of NYC.
Lindsey “originally joined T.A. as a member before working at the organization. My first interaction with T.A. was at the New York City Century Bike Tour where I completely overwhelmed with joy when I got to ride down Park Avenue with 7,000 other city cyclists.”
She commented that T.A.’s large impact on NYC’s streets is illustrated by the rise in cyclists and bike lanes, which were very scarce just a few years ago.
While T.A.’s events on the streets appeal to many people, their advocacy campaigns to government officials and various organizations are crucial to their success. One of Lindsey’s most memorable experiences with T.A. was “Marching across the Brooklyn Bridge to deliver 10,000 postcards asking for a Car-Free Prospect Park to Mayor Bloomberg. Our march included 100 Brooklyn High School students carrying banners and the Brooklyn Steppers band and drill team. This action was part of my all-time favorite campaign, Youth for Car-Free Parks.”
Inspiring the young and the old alike, T.A. has built appealing programming for entire communities to voice their support to create streets that will inhabit “one less car.” Such campaigns are sustained on the growing need and desire of communities that wish to live in safer, healthier neighborhoods.
Thanks, Lindsey, for letting us hop on for a ride with Transportation Alternatives!
Since 1973, Transportation Alternatives (T.A.) has been a leader in reducing car use in New York City. Lindsey Lusher Shute, a staff member at Transportation Alternatives, explains how the unique work environment of T.A., where many staff members themselves are avid bicyclists, contributes to the entrepreneurial, healthy spirit of the organization. “T.A. is run by a highly motivated and dedicated staff that achieves big change with relatively few resources. I’ve seen few other organizations that are nearly as dynamic, effective or fun!”
T.A. strives to decrease the amount of cars on the road in NYC. It follows a “Green Transportation Hierarchy” where certain modes of transportation are given preference over others due to “their benefits and costs to society.” Areas of T.A.’s expertise include: “Bicycling, Walking and Traffic Calming, Car-Free Parks, Safe Streets and Sensible Transportation”.
Perhaps most well-known for the NYC Century Bike Tour, the “country’s only all-urban 100 mile bike tour,” Transportation Alternatives runs numerous events and campaigns throughout the year to bring awareness and change to the streets of NYC; these include Park(ing) day, where individuals take parking spaces and temporarily make them into pedestrian spaces or “parks,” and “Block Party NYC,” which helps neighborhoods or blocks organize parties to encourage people to care and become involved in their community.
With over 8,000 members, T.A. has built a significant and reliable clientele. The minimum level of T.A. membership starts at $30; benefits include discounts at bike shops, free issues of “Reclaim Magazine,” cycling handbooks, and being a member of a rapidly growing movement to reclaim the streets of NYC.
Lindsey “originally joined T.A. as a member before working at the organization. My first interaction with T.A. was at the New York City Century Bike Tour where I completely overwhelmed with joy when I got to ride down Park Avenue with 7,000 other city cyclists.”
She commented that T.A.’s large impact on NYC’s streets is illustrated by the rise in cyclists and bike lanes, which were very scarce just a few years ago.
While T.A.’s events on the streets appeal to many people, their advocacy campaigns to government officials and various organizations are crucial to their success. One of Lindsey’s most memorable experiences with T.A. was “Marching across the Brooklyn Bridge to deliver 10,000 postcards asking for a Car-Free Prospect Park to Mayor Bloomberg. Our march included 100 Brooklyn High School students carrying banners and the Brooklyn Steppers band and drill team. This action was part of my all-time favorite campaign, Youth for Car-Free Parks.”
Inspiring the young and the old alike, T.A. has built appealing programming for entire communities to voice their support to create streets that will inhabit “one less car.” Such campaigns are sustained on the growing need and desire of communities that wish to live in safer, healthier neighborhoods.
Thanks, Lindsey, for letting us hop on for a ride with Transportation Alternatives!
(Transportation Alternatives works to retrieve New York City's streets from the car, by advocating for bicycling, walking and public transit.)
No comments:
Post a Comment