ACCT's newest program, made possible through generous funding from the Blue Moon Fund, is an innovative effort to reach out directly to residents of Charlottesville and to encourage each of them (you!) to make more neighborhood trips by alternative modes. We are especially encouraging cycling for such trips, since it is excellent for medium distance trips, but in some situations and for some people it is better to walk or take transit or even just carpool!

Through this program we are hoping that we will help a few people to realize the freedom of traveling by alternative modes. Along with the many other benefits, there is a great freedom to realizing that we have these other transportation options and and a great freedom to using them as well. For more of a discussion on this, join us for one of our 'transportation socials'!

At it's core, this program will consist of neigborhood bicycle rides in each neighborhood in Charlottesville -- rides to neighborhood destinations that demonstrate just how simple, fun and easy it is to bicycle for your transportation purposes.

The program will also involve neighborhood discussions on the topic of transportation. Discussions will be held in people's homes, in public spaces, and in other available gathering places.

The program will conclude with a city-wide presentation on innovative transportation systems and transportation options worldwide and a coordinated workshop on how we can make Charlottesville a more innovative and enjoyable city with regards to these issues.

*Residents who participate in both a ride and a discussion will be entered into a raffle to win $1700.

For a current schedule of rides and socials, click here. The schedule may periodically change, depending on volunteer and staff availability.

Discover Your Love for Bicycling

There are numerous environmental, health, social equity, and economic reasons to promote bicycling. Cycling is an extremely efficient, clean, healthy, and enjoyable mode of transportation.

The problem is that many people in the U.S. do not think of cycling as an easy, true option. With this program, we hope to change that viewpoint. Neighborhood by neighborhood, we will be going into the Charlottesville community to organize and advertise rides to local destinations. We will go door-to-door in each neighborhood approximately one week before the event to inform people of the ride. The rides are designed to be fun, useful, and accessible. We hope you will join us for your neighborhood at least, but feel free to join us in any neighborhood!

Neighborhood Networking

Beyond the enjoyment of bicycling, there are many reasons to be excited about bicycling and about other transportation options as well. The neighborhood discussions will help participants to learn much more about transportation and related issues while also giving them the opportunity to meet with neighbors and have a good time. Transportation is an integral part of everybody's life. Sharing experiences and perspectives may help people to see possibilities they never saw before and may open up a whole new world of options, or even just viewpoints, to many of Charlottesville's citizens (including us!).

Community Improvement

There are many innovative things going on in other communities around the world. To conclude this program, we will put together a multi-media presentation of exciting things happeneing around the world with regards to transportation and will present leading examples of truly balanced transportation systems that Charlottesville can look up to.

Following the presentations, we want to find out what residents of Charlottesville consider to be next steps for improving the transportation environment in the community.

With more open minds and higher ideals, we will work to make Charlottesville a better city to live in or visit.

To find out more about the program, contact Zachary Shahan at info@transportationchoice.org