Imagine a week where we all choose transportation alternatives to driving our own cars solo: walking, biking, using public transit, or ride sharing. Sure, there may be some downsides - cars are oftentimes convenient - but think about the upsides. This shift in our behavior can significantly reduce traffic congestion, lower fossil fuel exhaust emissions, and improve our air quality. A Week Without Driving can also foster empathy and understanding for those can't take advantage of the benefits of a personal car.
May is Bike Month! Numerous events, for cycling enthusiasts everywhere, mark the arrival of National Bike Month. Biking isn’t just a mode of transportation; for many it’s a lifestyle that embodies a commitment to wellness and environmental stewardship. As spring blooms around us, there’s no better time for people of all ages to embrace the joy of cycling, enjoy a ride to work or school, or simply to explore the world around them. This positive energy should help promote safer infrastructure for everyone.
Last year, DCR worked with Rideshare to develop an online bike map web app. This tool is great for planning a local or regional bike trip, and learning more about the opportunities of biking in SLO County.
This spring, we continued our collaboration by designing and producing a set of durable, portable printed bike maps for SLO County.
DCR was proud to sponsor, mentor and judge the 5th Annual Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Camp PolyHacks hackathon – which took place January 21-22, 2023 at the CIE Hothouse in Downtown SLO. Camp PolyHacks is a student-run, multidisciplinary hackathon dedicated to social entrepreneurship and human-centered design.
Teams are allotted 24 hours to design a creative solution to a theme issue. This year, one of the themes was about local transportation and infrastructure!
In 2020 there were 6,516 pedestrians killed due to motor traffic in the United States. That equates to 18 pedestrians every day or 125 pedestrians every week. Why does this happen? Walking isn't an inherently dangerous activity – but walking in an environment that's built primarily for cars is. Recognizing this serious problem is not difficult, but reversing trends and creating safer walking and biking environments requires re-designing our streets so everyone feels safe, regardless of their mode of transportation.
DCR is happy to announce the availability of a new web application for the County of San Luis Obispo. In addition to bikeway infrastructure, the map shows MTB and hiking trails along with trailheads, bus stops, bike shops and more. The map was developed on behalf of the SLO Rideshare program. We hope to follow on with a set of printed maps as well.
We recently helped the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments launch their first ever Active Transportation Plan. Together with project partners Pedal Love, we used storytelling from community members and visual information design to enhance the overall communication of the report.
