User:Parkandpedal/sandbox

Park&Pedal is a network of parking hubs located within cycling distance from city employment centers, that allows commuters to park their car, and pedal their bike to work, in order to avoid “last-mile” congestion and parking in the city. In addition to providing a healthy and more environmentally-friendly way to commute, it saves money, and in many cases it can save time.

Park&Pedal is the first network of its kind in America, and combines the efforts of local governments, employers, and individuals to solve the growing problems associated with commuting. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation was the first to install Park&Pedal hubs in the greater Boston area.

Park&Pedal was conceived by David Montague, the founder of Montague Corporation, a Cambridge, Massachusetts based bicycle design company. Montague had been using this multi-modal commuting method for years to get from his home West of Boston, to Montague corporate headquarters in Cambridge. Montague, an aerospace engineer by training, studied transportation systems while in graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and had been planning the launch of Park&Pedal since the late 1990's.

"I've always known it was a good idea as I pedaled past idling cars on my way to work, but life keeps you busy, and I had to park and pedal on my own for years. I felt that if there was a solid program that was convenient for people to take advantage of, and we created some awareness, then commuters would do it. There is only so long people will sit in gridlock traffic before they consider alternatives."

Finally, after reading yet another story about climate change, and watching traffic getting worse, Montague decided it was time to do it. "It was now or never". So a small team at Montague Corporation set out to make Park&Pedal a reality. Over the next year, the team met with dozens of people in government, cycling and environmental organizations, universities, transportation planners, associations, and private industry. The Park&Pedal network finally became a reality in the fall of 2014, as parking areas were designated for it's use, spaces were painted, and signs went up to enhance awareness.

More information can be found at www.parkandpedal.org.