Three years ago, agencies in Sonoma County began announcing climate emergency goals that focused on 2030 as a target year to reach “carbon neutrality.” More recently, an analysis of our driving habits by the County Transportation Authority has revealed that merely providing bicycle-pedestrian trails and bridges are not sufficient to reach those goals. We will need changes in culture as great as those of the recent pandemic.
Our pre-COVID driving habits caused transportation to become the largest source of the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) that cause the climate crisis. Long commutes in single-occupant vehicles have been a major source of GHGs, although most car trips are less than 5 miles.
While the complete shift to zero-emission cars will greatly reduce GHGs from transportation eventually, it is unlikely that all of us will give up our fossil fueled cars by 2030, and today’s average vehicle has a 12-year life. Also, we must understand that our cars and highways embody GHGs that need to be reduced. It will take major efforts on many fronts to minimize transportation emissions in the next 9 years. Many of us will probably need to shift to bicycles for short trips; and we may find ourselves relying on golf-cart size vehicles rather than SUVs and pickup trucks for most longer trips.
The steps needed to reduce driving will require actions by every public and private entity in order to:
1 — Incentivize telecommuting, carpooling, van-pools, and transit ridership, to greatly reduce solo commutes in cars.
2 — Create safe streets that enable us to walk and bicycle comfortably, leaving our autos at home for most trips.
3 —Charge drivers for the use of a parking space, so that those who bicycle or walk are not required to pay for something they don’t need.
Sonoma County has been a leader in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but we are also known to fail in meeting ambitious goals. Our success in becoming carbon-neutral over the next nine years will depend on reducing transportation GHGs Here are some actions that are working in our favor:
Many firms and workers have become comfortable with remote work, so telecommuting is likely to continue, and long trips may become infrequent. There is a regional goal for large firms to reduce commuting by car to 40% of employees. Zoom meetings of city councils and other groups have also become routine, and such meetings can enable staff and members of the public to participate in policy making without spending time in a car.
SMART and the bus systems are already experimenting with lower fares to attract greater ridership. Parking cash-out systems can give employees the option of saving money by cycling or using transit rather than parking at work for “free.” Technology is also making it easy to pay for parking anywhere, without the risk of getting a citation.
To make streets safer, a Vision Zero project has begun to identify high-risk locations. We can also learn from cities that have shown how reduced driving can improve the quality of life.
The City of Oakland is demonstrating the development of neighborhoods with slow streets. Its efforts took shape just as the pandemic was requiring people to stay at home. Low speed limits and temporary signage were used initially on an experimental basis. The changes are being evaluated; some are being modified, and some are being made permanent. About 20 neighborhoods are involved.
Cities in the Netherlands have shifted from a trend toward the use of automobiles to restoring their reliance on cycling. It took the Dutch several decades to make the transition, but we have seen the results, and can learn from their practices more quickly. There are a variety of designs that can transform existing streets into places that are safe for pedestrians and cyclists.
Neighborhoods can evolve in ways that permit residents to reduce driving for groceries or vitamins. With appropriate zoning modifications, neighborhoods can become more compact, gain better bus service, and acquire corner general stores that serve walk-in shoppers and cyclists.
It will take significant efforts to curtail our driving habits, but the change is essential.