Dallas Has Officially Recognized Week Without Driving

Dallas has officially recognized Week Without Driving!

Thank you to D6 Councilman and Transportation Chair, Omar Narvaez, for helping advocates recognize Week Without Driving in the City of Dallas.

Nearly a third of people living in the US- people with disabilities, young people, seniors, and people who can’t afford cars or gas- do not drive. And yet, our transportation system does not prioritize those who walk, roll, bike, or take transit as their primary mode.

From September 30-October 6, 2024, Dallas advocates joined the national campaign, Week Without Driving, as we sought to highlight the experience of nondrivers and advocate for a transportation system that works for everyone.

Thank you to our cohosts- Better Block- as well as our partners for the week: Dallas Area Transit Alliance, Urbanistas DFW, and Dallas Neighbors for Housing.

Read the proclamation below. Thank you to everyone that made this happen!

"WHEREAS, Week Without Driving is a organized nationally by America Walks and hosted locally by Dallas Bicycle Coalition and Better Block to encourage elected officials, transportation officials, and local leaders to experience transportation options in Dallas for those that don’t or can’t drive; and

WHEREAS, access to mobility is a fundamental part of health and community connection, allowing Dallas residents to reach education and employment opportunities, medical services, shopping, recreation, and visit friends and family; and

WHEREAS, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the annual cost of owning a car at $11,450, many people cannot afford the cost of a car, and nearly a third of the people residing in the US do not have a driver's license, either because of their age or a condition that does not allow them to drive; and

WHEREAS, according to Dallas’s Climate Action Plan, the transportation sector forms the single largest contribution of GHG emissions in Dallas, and in order to meet our city’s greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, Dallas has set a goal of reducing single occupant vehicle travel by 9% by 2030 and 26% by 2050; and

WHEREAS, in addition to greenhouse gas emissions, cars also create tire dust that can enter watersheds; have necessitated freeway expansions that have been detrimental to neighborhoods historically home to communities of color; and require impervious surfaces for parking, with an estimated 3.4 parking spaces for every car in the United States, all of which have contributed to transportation being an important environmental justice concern; and

WHEREAS, going a week without driving is great way to understand how we can improve our current transportation system to better meet the needs of Dallas residents and improve and enhance transportation options such as transit, light rail, biking, and walking pathways as key strategies in our decarbonization efforts;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mayor Johnson, do hereby proclaim September 30-October 6, 2024 as Week Without Driving, and I encourage all people in Dallas to join me in this special observance."

Save the date for Week Without Driving 2025- Monday, September 29 – Sunday, October 5, 2025.