As gas prices continue their meteoric rise, people are starting to look for alternative forms of transportation. The most sustainable forms of transportation are walking and biking (although not the most practical) since they burn only food and water. In this post I will cover different ways of getting around Alpharetta without the use of that gas guzzler.
Public Transportation
Alpharetta, like the rest of Georgia, does not have much to offer in the way of public transportation. MARTA has a few bus routes that serve Alpharetta. They include Route 85-Roswell/Alpharetta; Route 140-Mansell Road Park/Ride; Route 141-North Point Mall.
If you happen to live in the area of Alpharetta located in South Forsyth your only option is the Forsyth County Dial-a-Ride which only opperates five vans.
More Efficient Cars
There are several options out there for more efficient cars. You can choose a hybrid, a smaller car, or an electric car.
Hybrid cars are tempting (I own one myself - 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid) but you may want to look at a small car first, like a Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, or a Smart Car...just to name a few. The small cars will cost a lot less and you will spend less over the life of the car.
Electric cars are still better than hybrids and small cars even when they are recharged using coal power (which is our main source of electricity in Georgia). If you haven't done so, check to see if you can get electricity from renewable sources in your area. Once you are getting that clean, green electricity you will be ready to charge your electric car with no pollution (and a lot more cheaply than filling up your gas tank).
A few electric cars to keep an eye on in the next few years are the Chevy Volt (planned for launch the end of 2010) and the Mitsubishi I MiEV (planned for launch in Japan in 2009 and the US is 2010). Recent news has shed light on BG Automotive Group and their plan to introduce a highway-ready electric car to the US market for $17,995 by 2009.
Motorcycles and Scooters
While gas powered motorcyles and scooters are generally more efficient than cars they actually pollute the air more. There are several electric motorcycles and scooters available that will easily get you around town. Check out the Enertia Motorcycle and my favorite, the Vectrix Scooter.
Bicycles
The complete lack of bike lanes in Alpharetta will deter a lot of people. The more people that get out there and brave the agitated Atlanta motorists, the more those motorists will have to start respecting bicyclists. My friend Pattie over at Sustainable Dunwoody has a great post on bike commuting and a lot of the stuff applies to Alpharetta as well.
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