Bloomington-Normal’s commuter challenge May 14-20 posted some impressive numbers and I expect it’ll only get bigger in 2012.
Good To Go™ is a year round community project from WGLT public radio and ISU Sustainability focused on healthy living and alternative transportation. The Commuter Challenge is friendly competition between individuals, teams and workplaces to find alternatives to driving alone. It’s the initiative’s primary annual event.
313 people participated in this year’s challenge. Participants racked up 15,000 commuter miles, choosing a sustainable mode of transportation instead of a single occupancy vehicle. Almost 13,000 pounds of carbon were curbed. Because some participants chose modes like biking, 185,000 calories were burned during the seven day challenge. Results and participation tripled from the first challenge in September 2010.
I’m most impressed that this project is changing behavior, even if for just a week and I’m hopeful many those who rode the bus or biked during the week will continue. That will help drive a demand for more shared bike lanes and bus routes.
Chris Koos owner of Vitesse Cycle Shop (center) accepts an award for 100% employee participation in the 2010 Challenge from Mike McCurdy (l) and Enid Cardinal (r).
Participation from businesses and organizations also increased. The Ecology Action Center, Vitesse Cycle Shop, The Town of Normal, and AFNI won their employee categories with highest participation percentages. Illinois State University’s Institutional Web Support Services won a team award for most miles in their category. State Farm employees generated the most miles not driven alone – almost 3,000.
Bicycling was the most popular alternative transportation choice, followed by walking, carpooling and using a Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System bus.
Vitesse Cycle Shop is a Good To Go sponsor. Partners include AFNI, B-NPTS, Downtown Bloomington Association, EVTown, Friends of the Constitution Trail, Heartland Community College’s The Green Institute, The Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo, ISU Parking and Transportation, ISU School of Communication, McLean County MissFits, McLean County Wellness Coalition, MSS Advertising, Plug-In Solutions and State Farm.
Mike McCurdy is WGLT Program Director and co-coordinates the community sustainable transportation project, Good To Go.