“We have learned how to survive, now we really need to learn how to live.”–Gil Penalosa at the Carfree Conference last Tuesday

I have finally gotten a chance to upload my audio recording of Gil Penalosa’s keynote address to the Towards Carfree Cities Conference at Portland State University last Tuesday.
Penalosa’s speech and presentation garnered a standing [...]

“I seriously disagree with… taking an entire neighborhood and denying them the use of their cars, which I think is an evil thing to do to people, even if just for one Sunday.”–talk show host Lars Larson

On the opening day of the Towards Carfree Cities Conference, right-wing talk radio personality Lars Larson invited Meghan Sinnott, [...]

Screenshot from TriMet’s new trip-planning map unveiled at the Carfree Conference yesterday. Check it out here.

During a presentation at the Towards Carfree Cities conference, TriMet unveiled a new, interactive trip-planning map.
A demonstration of the new map — available at maps.trimet.org — was given by Bibiana McHugh, TriMet’s IT Manager for GIS and Location Based [...]

The “Street Fight” presentation at the Carfree Conference taking place at Portland State University through Friday.(Photos © J. Maus)

With 840,000 motor vehicles entering into New York City’s central business district each day, New York City has its share of challenges in creating livable, safe and people-friendly streets.
But thanks to a burgeoning collaborative effort between advocates [...]

Gil Penalosa at the Carfree Cities Conference.(Photos © J. Maus)

During his inspiring keynote speech at the Carfree Conference yesterday, Gil Penalosa gave Portlanders a lot to think about.
Penalosa is the former Commissioner of Parks, Sport, and Recreation for the city of Bogota, Colombia. During his tenure, he transformed that city (population 7 million) by [...]

The scene here at City Hall tonight is on fire… literally.(Photos © J. Maus)

The vibe here at City Hall is buzzing with bikes.

Welding together a tall bike in a parking spot in front of City Hall.

It’s opening night of the Carfree Cities Postcard Art Show and to celebrate, conference organizers have turned City [...]

In his speech addressing an international crowd at the Carfree Cities Conference, League of American Bicyclists executive director Andy Clarke announced that his organization will launch a Bicycle Friendly Business program.
In his address, Clarke also said the League plans to release the initial rankings of their recently launched Bicycle Friendly States program in September.
To a [...]

Hard at work in a street redesign workshop.Photo Gallery(Photos © J. Maus)

After depaving a former parking lot in North Portland yesterday, the Towards Carfree Cities Conference marched on this morning at Portland State University.
The first half of the program dealt with two topics of major interest to urban planners (and anyone interested in [...]

Former parking lot soon to be garden.(Photos © J. Maus)

With car use in decline across the country, millions of urban acreage currently devoted to parking them will soon go fallow.
What to do with all those parking lots? Depave them!
The International Towards Carfree Cities conference kicked off this morning with a depaving event in North [...]

League of American Bicyclists Executive Director Andy Clarke.(Photo © J. Maus)

The eighth annual Towards Carfree Cities Conference is coming to Portland in less than a month (June 16-20) and organizers have lined up an impressive list of speakers, events, and workshops.
The latest addition to the program is a keynote presentation by head honcho of the [...]

In case you haven’t heard, the international Towards Carfree Cities conference is headed to Portland this summer.
Here’s a preview of their very cool logo design that will be sprouting up on posters and postcards throughout Portland soon…

In other carfree news, the City of Portland kicks off a series of open houses tonight for their Sunday [...]

“Rethinking Mobility, Rediscovering Proximity”

This summer, Portland will host the eighth annual, international Towards Carfree Cities Conference.
For the past several months, conference organizer Elly Blue and a dedicated volunteer crew have been working to solidify the program schedule, find sponsorships, and take care of the myriad tasks and tedium involved with hosting an event of this [...]

As you might have already heard, in June of 2008 Portland will host an international conference on the future of urban transportation and livability, a.k.a., Towards Carfree Cities; Rethinking Mobility, Rediscovering Proximity.
Conference organizer Elly Blue just released their call for program proposals. Check it out:
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We are currently soliciting presenters from around the world [...]

[A scene from Portland's Car Free Days last September.]

The city of Portland has been chosen to host the 2008 Towards Carfree Cities conference. The conference is a project of the World Carfree Network and it aims to “bring together people who are promoting practical alternatives to car dependence.”
Portland will be the first U.S. [...]