MACORTS hosting public transit feasibility meetings in Madison & Oconee counties

PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

Public Transportation Feasibility Study

The Madison Athens-Clarke Oconee Regional Transportation Study (MACORTS) has contracted with Street Smarts to assess the need and evaluate the options available to provide public transportation service within the MACORTS region.

A public meeting will be conducted in both Madison County and in Oconee County to obtain public input on various service concepts for meeting public transportation needs in the community. The meetings will be held as follows:

Oconee County
Thursday, April 23 4:00 to 7:00 PM
Oconee Veterans Park Community Center
3500A Hog Mountain RoadWatkinsville, GA 30677

Madison County
Tuesday, April 28 4:00 to 7:00 PM
Madison County Government Complex
91 Albany AvenueDanielsville, GA 30633

Athens gets green kudos

Athens has been named a "green destination of the week" by mnn.com.
Excerpts:

The small college town of Athens, Ga., is thinking big when it comes to going green.

It's evident from the products sold in trendy shops, the food in local restaurants, and the pedestrian-friendly University of Georgia and vibrant downtown, just across Broad Street from campus.

The city pays special attention to its large community of cyclists, with dedicated bike lanes and a must-see cycling competition every spring, and has earned kudos for its transportation station, where city and university buses pick up students, residents and visitors.
It's also common to share the road with cyclists either commuting to work or school or preparing for competition, and the city hosts the annual Twilight Criterium each April. The professional cycling event culminates in an exhilarating Saturday night race through downtown streets. Groups such as BikeAthens and Athens Grow Green Coalition also work to promote alternative forms of transportation and to protect the town's environmental quality.

Park-n-ride gets go ahead

At their meeting last night, commissioners approved "plans for a federally-funded $2.2 million Athens Transit park-and-ride lot on Oconee Street near the Athens Perimeter."

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Reminder: BTWD 2009

Downtown parking

The Commission has decided to revise its downtown parking plans, keeping the higher expired meter fines but raising every meter to a 2-hour limit.

Post-mortem

ABH wraps up the sorry tale of this recently adjourned legislative session.

Givin' us the ole one-two

For the second year in a row, T-SPLOST "legislation has failed on the last night of the session."

Meanwhile, a revised version of the GDOT overhaul bill passed and awaits Perdue's signature. The legislation undoubtedly gives the governor's office far more direct control over transportation planning and decision making.

Good ole boys, sprawl, congestion and lower air quality win this round. Georgia's decision makers are utterly committed to keeping the state last in serious-minded solutions to transportation issues, last in overall quality of life, and last in building a near-term future with any chance of survival.

Commuter rail at risk

Thanks to the persistent impasse at the capitol, commuter rail in Georgia may be at serious risk:

As state House and Senate teams slog through negotiations on transportation funding, more pressure is pouring on.

The state has had $87 million in federal funds sitting around to build commuter rail, but not much has happened. Now that money may be in serious jeopardy.

Gov. Sonny Perdue said last year that he would support building the line through Lovejoy as a pilot project. But when the economy crashed and he submitted his budget, the matching state funds for commuter rail weren’t in it.
...
The letter made waves in the office of Congressman David Scott. “This has been threatened before but this is real now,” said Scott’s chief of staff, Michael Andel.

UPDATE: A potential compromise has the Senate's regional plan in ascendance, but it might allow for 5% of taxes collected to head to the state.

Climate Ride 2009

**The 2nd Annual Brita Climate Ride invites you to pedal your way to a new energy future!**

More than two hundred cyclists will join together from September 26 - 30, 2009 to embark on a journey from New York City to the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. We’ll be making a powerful statement about the need for renewable energy and climate change awareness throughout this beautiful 300-mile bicycle ride.

As a valued member of the green community, we invite you to participate in this historic event. Here are five good reasons why you’ll want to sign up:

• Be Part of a Grassroots Effort – You’ll meet everyone from knowledgeable renewable energy experts, scientists and climate activists, to recent college graduates and everyday folks committed to making a difference.

• Make an Important Statement – As you wind through the Delaware River Valley, Valley Forge, and Amish Country, your congressional representatives await your arrival at our nation’s Capitol. There, you’ll have the opportunity to voice your concerns and encourage action.

• It’s a Climate Conference on Wheels – Hear informative talks each evening after a day of enthusiastic cycling through beautiful countryside. Discuss climate science, green technology, and solutions to the climate crisis while re-energizing for the next day’s ride.

• The Time is Now – We’re at a climatic tipping point. With the upcoming COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, the 2009 Brita Climate Ride is more timely than ever.

• It’s Fun! – This unforgettable, fully-supported event allows you the chance to unite with fellow cyclists while having the time of your life. Experienced leaders mind all the logistics, so you can strike up new friendships, network, and engage in stimulating conversation.

Are you ready to ride? Take five minutes to explore the Climate Ride website . We've posted photos and videos from the 2008 Ride that will entice and excite you – we guarantee it! Mark your calendar and register here. For a limited time, early registrants will receive a discounted sign-up fee of $60 (regularly $100) through May 1st. We have a number of fundraising prizes and incentives this year including an all-expense paid trip to the COP15 Conference in Denmark!

The Brita Climate Ride supports essential climate projects at two beneficiary organizations. Focus the Nation and Clean Air – Cool Planet . When you become a 2009 Climate Rider your fundraising effort (minimum $2,400) helps support their projects. In order to accommodate more riders, we’ve doubled the number of available openings to 250. They will fill up fast, so register today, and we'll see you there!

Austin, TX bike sharing program

Our big sister city is introducing a new bike-sharing program for city employees. Good idea!