Photo story: Tampa’s World Car-Free Day

They rode. They skated. They ran and scooted. Some walked. But they all had the same purpose, getting in some exercise and promoting transportation options on the second annual Tampa World Car-Free Day on September 22nd.

Joining over 2,000 cities in 46 countries, Tampa lead organizer Walk Bike Tampa and its community partners –  City of Tampa, Tampa Downtown Partnership, Westshore Alliance, Sidewalk Stompers and Pedal Power Promoters built on the success of the 2023 inaugural Tampa event.

Neighborhood “meet-ups” at Live Oaks in East Tampa, The Heights in Seminole Heights, and Hyde Park in South Tampa provided participants the opportunity to gather for coffee or breakfast before heading out on a group ride.

There were activity hubs at Midtown Commons in the Westshore district, Hillsborough Community College’s Ybor Plaza and the Encore District in downtown Tampa.

The first “Kidical Mass Bike Ride,” a .4-mile ride from Gasparilla Plaza and culminating at the Encore District, was escorted by members of the Fancy Women Bike Ride.

Safety teams from Sidewalk Stompers, The Krewe of the Phoenix, Walk Bike Tampa and other community advocates were strategically located throughout the route. 

Each year on or around September 22, cities globally celebrate World Car-Free Day, which encourages motorists to rest their cars for a day while embracing the benefits of healthy exercise and community involvement.

World Car-Free Day started as a response to automobiles’ harm to habitats, health and the general well-being of the planet.

Reykjavik, Iceland, La Rochelle, France and Bath, UK were the first cities to take the initiative with community rides.

In 1997, the UK organized the first official car-free day as part of a nation-wide campaign.

“We want residents and visitors to experience Tampa’s streets in a safe, fun way,” Walk Bike Tampa board member and Car-Free Day event coordinator Paula Flores said. “We are not about car shaming in any way but about encouraging people to explore the other emerging transportation choices – walking, biking and transit that are still growing in our community.”

Flores, along with Walk Bike Tampa’s Christine Acosta are encouraged by the advancements and added segments that the City of Tampa has made with the Green Spine urban bicycle track.

Following the completion of an extension through Ybor City, a final segment will be from Howard Avenue to Rome.

Tampa has also launched a series of quick-build projects to improve pedestrian and bike safety on some of the city’s most dangerous roads. They’re part of the Vision Zero effort to eliminate roadway deaths and serious injuries. Funding for those projects comes from a $20 million Safe Streets For All federal grant and a $5 million local match.

Organizers began planning for 2025 even before the 2024 event began.

For more information, go to Walk Bike Tampa and Pedal Power Promoters