Car Free Day is an international event that will be held September 21, 2012 in central Ohio. Car Free Day seeks to challenge residents of central Ohio to consider and experience the environmental and money saving benefits of a variety of travel options, including transit, bicycling, walking and all alternative modes of transportation to meet daily travel needs.

By taking a fair number of cars off the roads, people who live and work in central Ohio are given a chance to consider how our region might look and work with a lot fewer cars.

You can view the activity from last year on Facebook by searching for Central Ohio Car Free Day, and hear what local leaders have to say about Car Free Day by tuning into COTA's YouTube Channel. Stay tuned for details about the 2012 Car Free Day.

PLEDGES
Why not incorporate Car Free Day into your Five Days of Freedom? MORPC's Five Days of Freedom pledge asks central Ohioans to commit to spending five days of one week not driving alone in a car. Click here to learn more.

CAR FREE SPOTS
Also on September 21, everyday parking spots will be transformed into "Car Free Spots" to demonstrate what our community could be like with fewer cars on the road. By repurposing these parking spots, people who live and work in central Ohio can envision a region with less vehicles, congestion and emissions.

Join MORPC and Consider Biking for a Car Free Spot Bicycle Tour! Meet at the northeast corner of Goodale Park (Buttles and Park Streets) at 11:45 a.m. on Friday, September 21. After a quick safety talk, we'll get rolling! The ride will end at Jeni's in the Short North and last approximately 30 minutes. First 20 riders will receive coupons for a free triple scoop of Jeni's Ice Cream! All members of the community are welcome.

Click here for more info and to register your Car Free Spot.

CAR FREE DAY EMPLOYER RECOGNITION AWARDS

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), through its RideSolutions program, recognizes employers that offer solutions to improve mobility and air quality in our region. Congratulations to our 2011 employers, Bricker & Eckler, Columbus Food League, Franklin County Board of Commissioners, and The Ohio Department of Health for promoting alternative transportation options to their employees.

Contact Evelyn Ebert with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission at eebert@morpc.org or 614-233-4168 for questions.