UPDATE: In order to provide more consistent monthly events, we are rolling out a new monthly schedule:
1st Saturday: Social Hour @ Group Discussion
2nd Saturday of the month: Civic Engagement/Policy Workshop
3rd Saturday: Jane's Walk Neighborhood Tour
Last Friday: Critical Mass
Last Saturday we did a traffic-calming experiment on the Rail Trail at Remount Rd. It was amazing to see how just a few traffic cones made the space safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
We meet every Saturday to discuss urbanism and work on projects like this, come check it out!
We are very happy to report that our Benches for Bus Stops initiative is FINISHED! A lot of lessons learned, but we want to stress how much of a win this is - with just $4,000 of donations, we were able to provide real, tangible improvements to Charlotteans throughout the city.
Yesterday we worked together as a group to build and install 11 new benches at bus stops all over Charlotte. HUGE thank you to the volunteers and everyone who has donated to the GoFundMe so far!
Imagine a future where this is an everyday sight on our streets. It’s not impossible, we just need to invest in more human infrastructure that is safe for all ages and abilities!
While we appreciate the coverage of the upcoming Critical Mass ride in
@theobserver
, there are a few misunderstandings in the article that we want to clear up:
(Before and After) - Our first official Benches for Bus Stops bench has been installed! 🎉 This was one of our most-requested stops by bus riders who responded to our survey stickers.
We usually try not to post pictures of people using our benches, but Henry was so thrilled that we were installing one outside of this motel that he asked us to take a photo with him. Henry, if you're reading this, thanks for the tip about the Family Dollar t-shirt sales.
Announcing our latest campaign: Camden Reimagined. Sign the petition!
Camden Rd has some of the highest foot traffic of any street in Charlotte. It’s time to give people walking on Camden the space they deserve.
Yesterday, the Charlotte Urbanists group received an email from
@NCDOT
regarding the bench attached to the Route 49 sign on S. Tryon Street. We gave them a phone call and the NCDOT engineer was respectful but parts of the conversation we felt didn't hold up to scrutiny.
This weekend we built and installed another 15 bus stop benches along CATS route 9 and around East Charlotte. This was all possible thanks to your donations and the volunteers that came out to help, thank you!
(Pic credits
@charlie4thecity
and
@DatSciGuyCLT
)
Imagine the traffic if all these people were driving cars instead of riding bikes.
Many of our streets have 3-4 lanes dedicated to cars, but no safe accommodations for bikes and micromobility.
We need a network of safe, protected bike infrastructure NOW.
#CriticalMassCLT
Lots of people stand here waiting to transfer from the Blue Line to the 3 bus. Now they will have somewhere to sit. Thanks to
@CLTdevelopment
for the tip!
The start of some
#GoodVibes
for our
#BenchesForBusStops
second iteration. You don't need a lot of cash to make your city a better place, right now - you just need a great community and a little resourcefulness.
5 Dallas-area cites are being considered for our first US implementation of
@WhooshTransport
autonomous elevated cable & rail system. Looking to bring advanced mobility to the fastest-growing metro area in the country
@wfaa
@PhilWalkable
@YIMBYLAND
Charlotte Critical Mass - June 2024
Last night, hundreds of Charlotteans came together to celebrate bike culture and demonstrate the need for more safe cycling infrastructure in our city.
We ride the last Friday of every month. See you in July!
One of our members used to stand outside this gas station after a long day of work, waiting sometimes up to 30 minutes. We're glad that we can make sure that no one else has to deal with that nuisance on their way home!
Public transportation isn’t only about mobility - it’s also about economic development!
Since the Blue Line extension was built in 2018, there's been thousands of apartments built along this corridor with thousands more planned
Helping to alleviate Charlotte’s housing shortage!
Shout to
@CLTdevelopment
and
@HomesoftheSouth
for leading the tour today.
We got to learn all about the past, present, and future of our beautiful city!
#cltcriticalmass
was a HUGE success with 300+ riders! Thanks to everyone who came out and we will see you again next month!
Critical Mass is held on the last Friday of every month, rain or shine.
We met recently with
@CATSRideTransit
this Wednesday to discuss our bench project. A lot was said, but the general take-away is that CATS would like to know where our benches have been placed, the surveys we created, and that they'd like to meet with us again next week.
Our first Amtrak trip was a success! Thanks to
@HomesoftheSouth
for showing us around the beautiful town of Kannapolis.
Kannapolis has a beautiful pedestrian-first main street, new development, and plenty of local small businesses. We hope you are taking notes, Charlotte.
It's here!
The Unofficial Charlotte Area AAA Bicycle Network Map
View and download the full-resolution file here: . Save the link or map file on your device for future reference and navigation.
(1/3)
CHARLOTTE! That was a great ride with this month's
#CriticalMass
! Y'all came out strong today and we can't thank you enough for showing your love for the
#QueenCity
and its cyclists. Thank you all so much!
The representative said that pedestrian safety is CDOT's responsibility, and that sidewalks are a "Charlotte problem." NC DOT does not feel as if the safety of pedestrians is ultimately their biggest priority, but rather traffic capacity and speed. Let's get back to that.
Ever wished you had a safe route to walk or bike between NoDa and University City? Once the XCLT is finished, you will!
Join us this Saturday a guided walk exploring future sections 6 and 7 of the XCLT.
Three months in and
#CriticalMassCLT
is still going strong! Thanks again to The Fixed Federation
@bikeMSSNGR
and The Spoke Easy for making this amazing event possible, and remember: “You’re not IN traffic, you ARE traffic.”
#criticalmass
#clt
But the time is now for reform. We need to do everything we can to streamline the interactions btwn city, county, and state. We need to force departments to stop pointing fingers at each other for who's responsibility is who's. And we need this to have happened 5 years ago.
We've been doing a lot since January, 2022. We wanted to take the time to recognize the community's successes in making Charlotte a better place and to thank you all for your work in helping out. Here's a quick reflection of what's happened and what's to come:
Want to ride your bike in Charlotte, but don't know where to start?
Join us on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month for the Lazy Sunday Bike Ride! This ride is designed to be fun, easy-paced, and beginner-friendly. Riders of all ages and abilities are welcome. See you there!
Ahead of this weekend’s events please be aware of road closures in Uptown.
The blue section is closed from now until Sunday 6/11 at 11:00 p.m. for the Taste of Charlotte Festival.
Benches for Bus Stops is back! 🥳
We are launching a GoFundMe to purchase a set of 18 durable metal park benches. As before, we will install them at bus stops all over Charlotte that lack the basic amenity of a place to sit.
Fundraiser link:
(1/3)
We're hosting our monthly social hour this Saturday. If you're in Charlotte and interested in urbanism, come hang out with us!
More info at the link in our bio.
🗓️ Saturday, July 6th
📍Optimist Hall
⏱️ 11 - 1
Over $3,000 raised! Huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far. We have been able to order lots of new bench construction supplies and are planning to do a group bench build soon. Be on the lookout for benches to start popping up at bus stops all over the city very soon!
We talk a lot about some of the city's plans to improve it's own infrastructure, but the reality is that these items are, at a minimum, years away from being implemented. We didn't want to just sit and wait, so we instead...
This month's
#PolicyPowerHour
was a success, with lots of people wanting to know what they could do to make sure that Charlotte is one step closer to
#VisionZero
.
CRITICAL MASS: Halloween Edition!
Charlotte Critical Mass returns on 10/28, and this month we are kickin' it spooky style!
Bring your costumes, bring your friends, and lets have a rolling Halloween party on two wheels!
“The roads are not just for cars, and to act as if they are is in defiance of hundreds, if not thousands, of years of people existing freely on our streetscapes. This ride is a physical reminder of that right.”
It’s difficult to define an urbanist, but most want to ditch car-centric city designs and suburban sprawl for high-density areas with affordable housing and public transportation.
#CriticalMassCLT
is just four days away!
Also, join us this Thursday in front of the Student Union at UNCC to hand out flyers to students and promote the ride (bring your bike!)
Last week Reddit user u/steff_e noticed that one of our DIY bus stop benches Uptown was broken, so
@jbenner62
stepped up to install something more permanent. Next step: fix the old one!
While we appreciate the coverage of the upcoming Critical Mass ride in
@theobserver
, there are a few misunderstandings in the article that we want to clear up:
Due to Hurricane Ian and forecasts of winds up 27 MPH, September Critical Mass is CANCELLED.
While we usually ride “rain or shine,” a hurricane with high winds is an exceptional circumstance and we are putting safety first.
See you all next month! 🚲🚲🚲
We said we would comply, but had a few questions about the safety of S Tryon St. We asked them what their plans for pedestrian safety were since a number of people have been hit on this specific stretch of road (as seen in this photo).
The Charlotte Urbanist Social hour is this Saturday!
If you’re interested in making Charlotte more walkable, bikeable, sustainable, and affordable - come hang out with us!
🗓️ August 3rd
📍Petty Thieves Brewing
⏱️ 11 - 1
(RSVP below)
the sign the bench is attached to is not considered a hazard. The logic of the NC DOT is that a small wooden bench that is fixed to a sign puts motorists at risk, but the tall, metallic sign it is attached to does not.
Bike Advocacy Alert! 🚲⚠️
@langford_sonja
is wanting to organize a
@unccharlotte
student group that will advocate for the safety and comfort of its many bicycle commuters. DM her or scan the QR code to get involved - or send this to some students you know!
‼️EXCITING NEWS‼️
For this Saturday’s Policy Hour, we’ll be talking about Charlotte's rapid growth and shaping the city’s future with the Planning Commission Chairman
@einsteinslegacy
More info at the link in our bio. See you there!
🗓️ 7/13
📍Change Please Coffee
⏱️ 11 - 1