DECEMBER 2009 UPDATE:
The City of Chicago was awarded almost $15 million for the “Chicago Area Alternative Fuels Deployment Project”, which will result in the deployment of 554 alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles in public and private fleets and the installation of 153 alternative fuel and electric vehicle charging stations throughout the Chicago region – many of which will be available for public use. The grant is awarded from the United States Department of Energy to support the mission of the Clean Cities program.
The goals of the project are to generate local jobs through the installation of alternative fueling infrastructure, increase the number of alternatively fueled vehicles in the Chicago region, develop fueling stations and charging infrastructure which will support the exponential growth of alternative fuel use, reduce the amount of petroleum utilized by the transportation sector, enhance regional air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The combined benefits of these projects will reduce harmful vehicle emissions by 448 metric tons per year, reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emissions by over 7,600 metric tons per year, displace 3.08 million gasoline gallon equivalents of petroleum per year, and result in 77 created and/or retained jobs. The CO2 emissions benefits of this project are equivalent to taking 1,390 cars of the road per year.
Improved Transportation Options
Every day, Chicagoans travel to a variety of places – they commute to work, drive to the store, go to the doctor, make a trip to the health club, go out for dinner. Currently 21 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions are produced by cars, trucks, buses and trains. (This inventory excludes emissions from air travel, an approach that mirrors that of most other cities.) To lower emissions, a high-quality transportation system must include a mix of public transit, bicycling, walking, car sharing, energy-efficient vehicles and the development of transit-oriented neighborhoods. Chicagoans have many places to go, and they need a variety of convenient, energy-efficient ways to get there.
Download the Transportation Report (1MB PDF)>>
MITIGATION STRATEGIES
1. Invest more in transit
Invest in transit improvements and boost Chicago’s transit system ridership by 30 percent = .83 MMTCO2e reduction*
2. Expand Transit Incentives
Provide incentives for transit use, such as pre-tax transit passes = .03 MMTCO2e reduction*
3. Promote Transit-Oriented Development
Encourage development focused on public transit, walking and bicycle use = .63 MMTCO2e reduction*
4. Make Walking and Bicycling Easier
Increase the number of walking and biking trips to one million a year = .01 MMTCO2e reduction*
5. Car Share and Carpool
Boost car sharing, carpooling and vanpooling = .5 MMTCO2e reduction*
6. Improve Fleet Efficiency
Improve the energy efficiency of fleets in Chicago, including buses, taxis and delivery vehicles = .21 MMTCO2e reduction*
7. Achieve Higher Fuel Efficiency Standards
Advocate for the implementation of higher federal fuel efficiency standards = .51 MMTCO2 reduction*
8. Switch to Cleaner Fuels
Increase the supply and use of sustainable alternative fuels to Chicago vehicles = .68 MMTCO2e reduction*
9. Support Intercity Rail
Support intercity high-speed passenger rail plan
10. Improve Freight Movement
Faster, more efficient freight movement, including support for CREATE = 1.61 MMTCO2e reduction*
*MMTCO2e (million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent) is the term for the quantity of any greenhouse gas, including carbon dioxide, methane and others, translated CO2 by weighing it by its relative global warming potential. A reduction of 1 MMTCO2e is equivalent to removing nearly 185,000 cars from the road.
Improved Transportation Options Consultants:
Civic Consulting Alliance
Boston Consulting Group |
