When we think of “green” transportation, we often think in categories. We often talk about the comparative virtues and downsides of hybrids and plug-in electric vehicles, bicycles, public transit, and walking. However, downtown transportation is “green” to the extent that it provides opportunities to easily, efficiently, and seamlessly use multiple modes of transportation in any given day–or even any given trip.
One way to keep track of how the Downtown is doing on green transportation is to ask its residents. When we surveyed residents of downtown Madison about their transportation choices, we got some interesting results. For example, we found that downtown residents reported owning roughly the same number of bikes as cars.
We also found that among residents surveyed, carpooling, bicycling, taking a taxi, and riding a moped were equally common throughout the week but that driving alone and walking were much more frequently used forms of transportation.
How easy is it to use both a bicycle and public transportation to get where you need to go in Downtown Madison? Thanks to online tools like Mapnificent, we can begin to answer that question. Below are two images that compare how far from the state capitol a person can get by just taking the bus and how far they can get if they combine bus and bicycle.
How else can we measure green urban transportation in Downtown? Let us know!