MODERNIZATION
KICKING THE CAR HABIT
MADISON, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES
Choosing alternative transportation while visiting a city can help to decrease the carbon footprint of your trip. In Madison, Wisconsin, opting for a bicycle instead of a car is easy for travelers and residents alike.
What's
changing
To reduce vehicle emissions people need other ways to get around. Infrastructure to support bicycle riding and parking is one way that cities help to reduce dependency on cars. To encourage urban commuters to rethink their trips to work and into the city center, cities are experimenting with initiatives that support cycling, as well as ridesharing and public transit.
What's already
possible
A few innovative programs in Madison are using technology, business collaboration and gamification to encourage the changes in behavior needed for residents and visitors to think differently about their cars.
Seizing
the opportunity
Dane County’s “RoundTrip” initiative lets people log their non-car miles to win prices. Its “CommuteTracker” app matches commuters with carpools, bikepools, vanpools, public transit and other transportation options in the area. To further encourage cycling, 140 businesses in Madison support the “Bicycle Benefits” program, which gives cyclists a sticker for their helmets to unlock discounts throughout the city. The “Bicycle Benefits” program also operates in select cities across the United States.
Standout
tactic
To ensure that cycling is accessible to visitors, the “Madison By Bike” program provides a 50% discount for Madison BCycle electric bike rentals which can be picked up at more than 40 stations across the city. Visitors can follow itineraries in English or Spanish that guide them along four tourist-friendly trails. Each trail has key sites to collect points that can be redeemed for discounts or merchandise.
How
it helps
The “RoundTrip” program has enabled 14,000 journeys, saved commuters 22,797 U.S. dollars and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 27 tons (24 metric tonnes). Commuters also burned about 2.4 million calories by choosing to leave their cars at home. Since 2015, the League of American Bicyclists has certified Madison as a platinum bicycle-friendly community. It is only one of four cities in the United States that have earned the designation.
Diving
deeper
Bikepools, carpools and vanpools require someone to lead the effort to establish a program. How can cities and organizations effectively recruit and retain enthusiastic volunteers to support and champion alternative transportation programs, ensuring long-term sustainability and success?
Increasing
impact
Community-based initiatives, such as bike repair workshops and gear exchange programs, could play a vital role in reducing the financial barriers to participating in alternative transportation programs.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
