The purpose of the Transportation Information Service newsletter
is to inform, update, and educate members of the New North
Transportation Alliance and the public on local mobility issues,
projects and developments.
On April 22nd, NNTA staff participated in Earth
Day events at USF and Busch Gardens. These
events attracted hundreds of students and
employees who came to hear live music, participate in various Earth Day activities, and learn about how they can help
to preserve Florida's valuable
environment.
The
Earth Day events included organizations such
as the Sierra Club, Hillsborough County Water
Department, Bay Area Commuter Services, HARTline, and the Tampa
Audubon. At USF's event, Morgan Crawford, an Environmental Science
major and researcher at USF's Center for Urban Transportation Research,
showed off one of his two "veggie mobiles" that run off of used
vegetable oil obtained from local eateries. NNTA's participation in
the events gave attendees a chance to make the link between travel choices
and the environment, and to register with the regional rideshare database
and the Guaranteed Ride Home program (if already using a commute option at
least 2 times per week).
Florida is well known for its blue skies,
miles of coastline, oceans and lakes, and other natural
resources. These resources combined with the
climate afford Floridians ample opportunity to participate in outdoor and
recreational activities. By helping to keep our air clean, you help
to preserve Florida's resources for yourself and future
generations.
You can help keep our air clean by
modifying how you travel:
Try taking the
bus, riding your bike, walking, or carpooling to work instead of
driving.By taking fewer trips by car or truck, you will reduce
auto emissions - a major source of air pollution.
Telecommute/Telework.
Eliminate your commute altogether.
According to AAA, you can also reduce gas
consumption and auto emissions - clean the air AND save money - by
doing the following:
Combine
your errands into fewer trips.
Follow
the speed limit.
Avoid
quick starts and sudden stops.
Lighten
the load - carrying extra weight in the passenger or cargo areas make
your vehicle use more gasoline.
Avoid
extended idling.
Keep
your car tuned and your car's tires properly inflated.
For more information on commute options, call NNTA at
974-9799 or go to www.newnorthalliance.org.
For
more on Clean Air Month in Florida, including state-wide events,
go to www.dep.state.fl.us/air/.
For
more tips on how to use less gasoline, go to www.aaa.com.
Celebrate National Bike Month by Bicycling to Work
Instead of Driving...
Bicycle commuting is a commute
option that helps to reduced traffic congestion and air pollution, and
also provides the rider with a good form of exercise. Join many others
around the nation and participate in Bike to Work Week and/or Bike to Work
Day:
Bike to Work Week - May 17-21
Bike to Work Day - Friday, May
21
If you are thinking about bicycle
commuting, here are a few "rules of the road" that may be
helpful:
Ride
on the right side of the road, with traffic.
Be
predictable - avoid sudden swerves and stops.
Be
visible - wear bright., reflective clothing. Use reflectors
and lights in low-light conditions.
Yield
to pedestrians.
Signal
when turning or stopping.
Follow
and obey signs, signals, and pavement markings.
Ride
defensively and respectively - watch for people who may not be
looking for you, and be courteous to other users of the road.
Look
for bike-friendly roads - the ones you use when driving may not be
the best roads for bicycle commuting.
Commute too long for
bicycling? HARTline has bike racks on the front of the buses
(requires a brief training session/permit so contact them in advance), so
bicyclists may ride to a bus stop and catch a ride the rest of the
way. Go to www.hartline.org
for more information.
Looking for someone to bicycle commute with? The
Tampa Bay Commuter guide lists Bicycle Pools you can join to bike to work
in a group. Currently 10 formal bike pools exist in the Tampa Bay area,
with one bike pool traveling to and from the USF area each day (from
Seminole Heights). Pick up your copy of the Tampa Bay Commuter at the
University Mall Guest Services Desk or at USF's Marshall Center, or call
NNTA at 974-9799, for a full listing of area bike pools.
* If you bicycle to work at least two days per
week, you are eligible for the regional Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH)
program. Contact Bay Area Commuter Services at 800-998-RIDE (7433) for
more information.
Find answers to questions you may have about
transportation demand management (TDM) strategies and issues at the TDM
Help Desk located on the National TDM and Telework Clearinghouse:
www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse. Here you can query a database of answers
to questions previously posted to the Clearinghouse listserv, or ask a new
question of a National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) staff person.
Help Desk topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
West Central MPO Chairs Coordinating
Committee (CCC)
Franklin Templeton Investments, Inc.
100 Fountain Parkway in Carillon, Room 140-1A
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
Help develop the 2025 Regional Long Range Transportation Plan for West
Central Florida - Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco,
Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota Counties. The Plan contains high priority
regional transportation investments for roads, public transportation,
intermodal facilities and multi-use trails. Take this opportunity to share
your views on the region's priorities with key decision-makers. The
Regional LRTP will guide development of individual MPO Long Range
Transportation Plans. See www.ccctransportation.org
for more information.
Want to save money & make
better use of your time by carpooling or vanpooling-
but don't know anyone to share the commute with? We may be able to help! Join the regional rideshare
database by following the link on the Commuter page of our website, www.newnorthalliance.org,
or by calling 813-974-9799 to speak with a New North Transportation
Alliance representative.
Tampa Bay Interstates Website: New Photos
& Project Information The FDOT's Tampa Bay Interstates website, www.mytbi.com,
has new photos and project information for current and future projects
throughout the region, including the Downtown Tampa Interchange Project,
the Links Project (SR60/I-275/Veterans' Expressway), the I-75 Widening Project, and many others.
