There's no shortage of cars on the road in Downtown Boise and that's no surprise; according to the 2000 census, 79 percent of Ada County residents commute by car,by themselves. But that's something local highway officials would like to change.

It's called "May in Motion." "We want to show people that there are options to getting out of single occupancy vehicles," says Ada County Highway District Coordinator Kirk Montgomery. And it's an idea that's picking up speed.

"I've had a car, but why should I pay gasoline that's approaching 4 dollars a gallon?" asks Treasure Valley resident Joe Moran. Local highway officials say using alternative transportation for just one day a week could save you close to 5-hundred dollars in one year. And there are quite a few options: "They could ride their bikes, walk, roller-blade," says Stefanie Holloway, a senior at Centennial High School. "I walk and I use mass transportation," says Moran. "Getting in van-pools, finding a carpool partner, getting on transit," Montgomery adds to the list.

And if you must drive a car, why not make a "smart" decision? After sitting on a waiting list for 2 years, Tom Schmidt became the first Idahoan to buy what's actually called a "smart car." He gets a few funny looks from other folks on the highway. "They think it's a toy or a golf cart on steroids." But he says the gas mileage is no joke, "We've been averaging about 45 miles per gallon." On the freeway he gets close to 55 miles per gallon

If your travels don't take you on the freeway, we found another option for you: a Segway could be used for short trips. It could be used by postal carrier, ticket attendants,even the city police. The Segway Personal Transporter can travel up to 24 miles on a single charge and starts at about 45-hundred dollars.

However you choose to get around, the folks here say you could save some cash as well as the environment. "People are getting the message," says Montgomery.

Without using alternative forms of transportation, Treasure Valley streets are likely to get a lot more traffic in the years to come. Idaho is currently the 3rd fastest growing state in the nation.