The stars of “Castle,” the hit police drama on ABC, posted a series of online videos Monday about trying to go car-free in one of the most car-dependent cities in the world — Los Angeles. Named the Alternative Travel Project, the series aims at encouraging viewers everywhere to give up their cars for at least one day a week.

For seven days spread across a month, the actors Stana Katic and Seamus Dever said they walked or traveled by bus, subway and bike to make the point that even in Los Angeles, one can get to work, shops and restaurants and run errands without a car.

It took some planning.

To get to the studio in Hollywood from her home near downtown Los Angeles, Ms. Katic, who plays Detective Kate Beckett in “Castle,” said she walked 40 minutes or rode the subway, which also required her to walk a good 20 minutes.

She said she also had to preplan her trips by subway and bus to figure out which routes would take her where, because of the limitations of the city’s public transportation network.

“It’s a matter of switching patterns,” she said. “You can’t spontaneously say, ‘Today I’ll take the subway,’ because the public transportation system is still in development. We’re supposed to be one of the most progressive parts of the United States, and we’re lacking.”

Mr. Dever, who plays Detective Kevin Ryan on the show, said he mostly rode his bike to work, about two and a half miles each way from his home in West Hollywood. But that also took preparation, especially to find bike-friendly streets and avoid steep hills, he said.

“You have to really know where the hills are,” he said, “It’s a big deal, those undulating hills.”

In the end, Ms. Katic said she welcomed the chance to explore the architecture of the city and mingle with other people on foot.

“When you’re not caught in the bubble of your car, the city blooms,” she said.

The Sierra Club, a partner in the project, is sponsoring a no-car pledge effort at its Web site.

Source: here