The Climate Action Plan reached a milestone at the May 26 City Council meeting. The Council unanimously endorsed the goals and priority actions of the draft Plan, developed by the Bainbridge Island Climate Change Advisory Committee.
The Plan’s overall target is to reduce the Island’s greenhouse gases by 90 percent by 2045 as compared to 2014 levels. Mike Cox, chair of the Committee, presented the Plan to the Council, commenting that achieving the target “will be quite a challenge.”
Transportation is one of the Plan’s six components, with two key goals: 1) get people out of cars and 2) increase electrification of buses, cars and ferries. The draft plan sets mode shift targets where biking and walking comprise 25 percent of all trips on the island by 2030, and 50 percent of all trips by 2045. To achieve that the Plan recommends: “Develop interconnected networks of safe, convenient, and attractive pathways for use by people of all ages and abilities to significantly increase non-motorized transportation on the island.“
The draft Plan now goes for review by City staff. After any further revisions, the committee hopes to present a final plan to the Council in September.