World Car Free Day, an annual event observed in 46 countries and more than 2,000 cities, is coming to Tampa for the first time on Sept. 23.
The goal of World Car Free Day is to reduce the number of cars on the streets for one day. It will be held in three locations in Tampa, in Ybor City, downtown and Midtown. All three areas are connected by bike-friendly streets.
Local organizers, who are advocates for safer streets, discussed their plans and the motivations for holding the event in Tampa during WMNF Wavemakers with Janet and Tom on Sept. 12: Karen Kress, Senior Director of Transportation and Planning at the Tampa Downtown Partnership; Kevin O’Hare, Director of Transportation Planning for the Westshore Alliance; Christian Leon, president of Walk Bike Tampa; and Paula Flores, Transportation Planning Practice Leader at the engineering firm GPI.
World Car Free Day started in the 1990s in Europe and has spread throughout the world. The idea is to show the benefits of having less traffic congestion, including a greener environment and reduced gasoline demand.
Learn more about Tampa’s Car Free Day here
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
