Despite Funding Challenges, Chapel Hill Offers Extensive Free Transportation Network

Writing in Yahoo News, Mike Taylor highlights the city of Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s success at building a comprehensive multimodal transportation network. The city and its neighbor Carrboro are home to “one of the largest free transportation systems in the world,” as well as 25 miles of greenways and 15 miles of bike lanes. “Bicycles are a popular mode of transportation, and Chapel Hill Transit in 2022 gave 3.4 million rides despite the cities’ combined population of just 83,396.”

Chapel Hill’s success is particularly impressive in light of the fact that  90 percent or more of North Carolina’s transportation budget is directed to highway projects. “The legislature also prohibits the use of state funds for standalone bicycle and pedestrian projects and limits public transportation expenditures.”