Tips for Living Car-Lite or Car-Free in the DMV

This Monday, September 23rd is Car Free Day. Join thousands of other D.C. metro area residents and trade in your keys for greener modes of transport, such as biking, walking, Metro or carpooling.

Car Free Day is a worldwide event that encourages greener methods of travel. Commuter Connections hosts the annual Car Free Day in the D.C. metro area to provide awareness of the benefits of alternative methods of transport and support more sustainable ways of getting around.

Learn about EYA's walkable neighborhoods

Living in an urban location such as D.C. lends itself to all kinds of conveniences. Among these is the ability to take advantage of different transportation options—such as car-sharing, buses, walking, and biking—all year round. Studies have shown that walking or biking to work can have tremendous health benefits, including a lower risk for heart disease and cancer. 

But what if you live outside of D.C. in the greater metropolitan area? There are plenty of walkable and commuter-friendly cities from Rockville and Bethesda in Maryland to Reston and Alexandria in Virginia. In fact, this article ranks the District #4, Alexandria, VA #14 and Arlington, VA #16 best places to live in the U.S. without a car.

So wherever you may reside in the greater D.C. area, if you'd like to start living a more car-lite or car-free lifestyle, here are some tips. 

1. Give It a Try on Car-Free Day!

Join thousands of other D.C. area residents by going car-free (or car-lite) on Monday, September 23rd. This will be a great time to try an alternative method of getting around. You could even invite friends to join! Here are some of the ways you can try to get around.

• Walk or Run - Walking is a great way to burn calories instead of burning gas! And this article notes that it can improve focus, energy and creativity once you arrive to work. When walking or running to your destination, make sure to map out your route ahead of time, allow yourself plenty of time to arrive, and travel safely.
  
  
• Bike - Thousands of D.C. area residents travel by bike every day to get to work, run errands, or meet up with friends. If you don't already have access to a bike, there are many ways to rent one for the day or by the hour. Capital Bikeshare, Unlimited Biking, Big Wheel Bikes, Lime and Pedego Electric Bikes are some options to get you started.
  
  
• Scooter - The newest trend for traveling through D.C. is zipping by on a scooter. As you wander the city, you'll notice scooters on sidewalks and walkways, waiting for their next rider. Check out companies such as Lyft and Lime with apps to help find the closest one near you.
  
  
• Metrorail & Bus - Even if you don't have a Metro stop you can walk to, there may be a Metrobus that can get you there. Metrobus schedules are online and the routes travel throughout the District, northern Virginia, and suburban Maryland.
  
  
• Train - Another way to travel to and from the District is by train. Both the MARC and VRE trains extend beyond the boundaries of D.C. and many MD and VA residents take it to work daily.
  
  
• Telecommute - If possible, ask your supervisor if you can telework for the day! As more and more companies offer a work-from-home policy, you may be able to remove your commute altogether.
  
  
• Carpool - If you live in an area where the above choices aren't an option, connect with a co-worker and see if you can carpool for the day. Not only will you be reducing your emissions in half for the day, but you might decide to make it a weekly occurrence. 
  

Car Free Day is being celebrated beyond the District in areas such as Arlington, VA and Bethesda, MD. Click the links to learn more.

2. Add More Car-Free Days to Your Daily Routine

Once you give it a try, perhaps you'll be ready to incorporate more car-free or car-lite days into your life. Consider taking alternative modes of transit more frequently until you get in the habit. Or if you are a 2-car family, consider selling a car and becoming a 1-car family. Here are a few more tips for living car-free.

How to grocery shop without a car

• Instead of doing one large grocery run, pick up fewer items, perhaps at local farmer's markets or specialty shops.
• When you do go to the supermarket, make sure to use a basket (not a cart) so you don't get more than you can carry. 
• Be sure to have a folding cart, sturdy backpack or reusable bags to carry the groceries. Or if you are biking, it is helpful if the bike has a basket or saddle bags. 
• And if you do need to do that large grocery run, a car-sharing ride is perfect for a short amount of time. 

Read this article to learn more.

Learn to feel confident cycling on streets

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) hosts classes and rides to help build confidence for cyclists in the D.C. area. Their "Confident City Cycling" class includes bike handling skills and riding both on city streets and trails. Classes are available in the District, Arlington & Alexandria in VA and Montgomery County, MD. 

What to wear when cycling to work (and still look fresh!)

Here are some posts about what's best to wear when cycling to work, how to stay clean, dry and fresh and more. 

• How to Commute to Work on a Bike and Still Look Polished
• How to Transition from the Bike to the Office in 10 Minutes
• What to Wear for Commuting by Bike
  

How to find carpooling groups in the DMV

If you would like to explore carpooling options, here are a few local resources to get you started.

• Commuter Connection's Carpool Now App connects commuters to share rides. 
• OmniRide specializes in Virginia area carpooling.

3. Research Resources in Your Local Area

Once car-free days start becoming part of your regular routine, connect with local organizations and resources to help in your daily car-free life. Here are a few resources to get you started throughout the DMV.

District of Columbia

goDCgo is an initiative of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) that encourages the use of sustainable transportation and provides resources to commuters. They offer bike maps, scooter tips and more on their website. 

Arlington, VA

Arlington's Car-Free Diet program offers information on how to get around car-free, including specific areas such as Ballston, Clarendon and Shirlington. 

Alexandria, VA

GO Alex helps residents and visitors to plan sustainable, efficient options of getting around the area, from Metro to bus to bicycle routes. 

Bethesda, MD

Bethesda Transportation Solutions offers information such as downtown Bethesda Zipcar locations, carpooler match, bike trails and more.

Silver Spring, MD

Silver Spring is a commuter-friendly, walkable city in Montgomery County, MD. Visit the County's Department of Transportation website for transit info. And this blog post also provides a lot of information about navigating Silver Spring without a car. 

Rockville, MD

The City of Rockville is a well-connected suburb of D.C. with Metro, bus, train and more. Their website provides information on biking such as maps and a list of group bike rides throughout the City that take place on a regular basis.

*Also, be sure to ask your employer (or prospective employer) if they have commuter benefits such as Metro allowances, telework days, shower facilities for those who cycle to work and carpooling programs. 

Conclusion

Embracing a car-lite or car-free lifestyle has many benefits. These include reducing your environmental impact, lowering traffic congestion, increased health benefits by walking, running or cycling to work, and potential cost savings without a car payment, gas and repair costs. 

We hope these tips are helpful as you begin (or continue) to live your car-lite or car-free lifestyle throughout the Washington, D.C. area. 

Click here to learn about EYA's walkable neighborhoods where residents enjoy the best of life within walking distance® just moments to transit, employment hubs, retail and recreation.