The City of San Francisco, already known for being green, snagged an award for its innovative and accessible public transportation options this year. The award recognizes two innovations: an app and Web site that help residents find parking and alternatives to driving ( all in real-time), and a city program that turns unused space into beautiful mini parks for pedestrians to enjoy. (Photo by JeremyAShaw, Flickr)
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The City of San Francisco, already known for being green, snagged an award for its innovative and accessible public transportation options this year. The award recognizes two innovations: an app and Web site that help residents find parking and alternatives to driving ( all in real-time), and a city program that turns unused space into beautiful mini parks for pedestrians to enjoy.
Anyone who has driven in San Francisco can tell you that parking is an absolute nightmare. SFPark is set up to help residents find alternatives to driving and, if residents decide to drive, to find parking spaces. This prevents drivers from circling around, wasting gas and causing emissions. The city installed censors along the streets that show residents in real time where parking is available through either the SFPark Web site or free smartphone apps. This innovative program helps ease traffic problems in San Francisco’s crowded commercial areas, making the streets more pleasant and thus benefiting local businesses.
The Pavement to Parks program makes use of the neglected parts of San Francisco’s wide streets. The city takes unused spaces and transforms them into something that the public can use– namely parks and plazas. Pavement to Parks has been an inspiration to a number of other cities that are also trying to make use of their abandoned corners, including New York and Vancouver.
San Francisco also improved its biking system, and encourages residents to use the bicycle as their primary means of transportation. The city continues to maintain and design its streets with the best interests of pedestrians and bicyclists in mind. More information can be found on The Institute for Transport and Development Policy (ITDP)’s profile of San Francisco’s accomplishments.
ITDP, the body that awarded San Francisco its Annual Sustainable Transport Award this year, is an international organization that works with cities around the world to create and use transportation systems that improve the quality of life of their citizens. The ITDP honors cities that have come up with unique solutions to transportation problems, and can show successful results from those programs.
“These cities are setting the example of working on various fronts – giving people opportunities through high quality transport options,” says Walter Hook, CEO of ITDP.
Cities across the world are working hard to construct public transportation systems that are efficient and easy-to-use. Subways and metros are one of the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to ITDP. A successful public transportation system also reduces congestion within a city and reduces pollution from vehicles sitting in traffic, which in turn makes the quality of life better for city residents.
Sierra Club Green Home encourages you to find ways to reduce personal car use, whether through subways, metros, biking, walking, or carpooling. Take a look at what is available in your town and share with us the best ways to get around!
For related articles, see: Public Parklets Make Use of Urban Sidewalks Trashy Art: San Francisco Artists Get Creative at the Dump
© 2012 SCGH, LLC.
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