A group of Portland transportation activists are putting together a bid to try and persuade the World Carfree Network — the “hub of the global carfree movement” — that Portland would be an ideal place for their yearly conference, Towards Carfree Cities.
The international conference — which was held in Bogota this year and is slated for Istanbul in ’07 — would bring an international cadre of transportation planners and advocates to Portland. Here’s more on the conference from WorldCarFree.net:
“The goal of the Towards Carfree Cities conference series is to bring together people from around the world who are promoting practical alternatives to car dependence – walking, cycling and public transport, and ultimately the transformation of cities, towns and villages into human-scaled environments rich in public space and community life. The focus is on strategy, collaboration and exchange, assisting the practical work of conference participants – whether it be organising carfree days, promoting urban cycling, or building the carfree cities of the future.”
Plans are still in the early stages, but this is an exciting possibility. Stay tuned for more developments.