Choose Your Way Bellevue Blog

Recently a visitor to the ChooseYourWayBellevue.org website commented on a fundamental problem: companies locating in areas without good transit service, thus shifting the costs of commuting from the employer to the employee. His reasoning was that companies save real estate costs by locating in less expensive areas outside of downtowns, and those costs are shifted to workers in the form of more expensive commutes. Do you agree? Areas outside downtown areas are typically not as well served by transit, and transit commuting can be less expensive than driving alone (as was the case with this person). But if you drive, parking is more costly in downtown.

The 1990 State Growth Management Act aims to shift growth to urban centers – witness the growth of high rises in downtown Bellevue – but changes take time, and many employers still choose to locate out of these centers. Do you now, or have you previously worked in an area with limited transit? Did this matter to you? If you work in downtown, do you value the transportation choices it affords? Do you appreciate having a multitude of options for lunch, etc within easy walking distance? 

If you work in an area outside of downtown, have you found a viable way to commute without driving alone? Maybe perceived drawbacks could have offsetting benefits? That is, time spent reading on a long bus commute could be considered free time; time spent walking or biking one leg of a commute reduces time at the gym, etc. Do you undertake a “challenge commute”? If so, do you appreciate any aspects of it or do you just wish it would be easier? Let us know your thoughts.

-Kate

Spending about an hour commuting seems to be in our genetic make-up.  Throughout history, humans have sought to keep their commutes to this time.  All of the ancient cities like Rome encompassed a space 5 km or less in diameter – the size where a person can walk from the edge of town to the center and back in one hour.  People eventually traded walking for horse carriages, then electric trains, then cars.  With the quicker modes of transportation, people have been able to move farther away from the city and work.  But one thing has remained constant- the center of the city (or work) has remained about 30 minutes away.  As traffic gets worse and it takes longer to travel the same distance every day, many people are deciding to move closer.

The best solution to saving money and time each day might be to give up the commute all together and live near work.  The financial cost of commuting is well documented.  Solo drivers in the United States spend on average $4,000 per year on driving to and from work.  The environmental impacts by commuters are gaining increased attention.  But less discussed are the social implications in commuting.

People that commute less tend to be happier.  In a German study, it was concluded that a person’s life satisfaction steadily decreases with longer commutes.  One reason, according to Robert Putnam (Harvard University professor and leading author) is that a person’s social connections are reduced by 10% for every 10 minutes of commute time.  This reduces the number of interactions with friends and the community.  People have less time to spend on personal relationships, attend events and have fun.

There are also health benefits to reducing a commute.  First, commuters have less time to eat well, get good sleep and participate in physical activities.  Additionally, a University of California at Irvine study has shown that commuting stress takes a major toll on health.  High levels of stress can lead to increased blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and a number of other physical symptoms.  In fact, a BBC study concluded that commuters had higher blood pressure levels than pilots and police officers in training exercises.  Finally, sitting in a car for extended periods of time can easily lead to back problems.  Reducing one’s commute provides an opportunity to reduce health risks and have more time to take care of one’s self.

Downtown Bellevue has a number of downtown housing options to bring people near work.  In fact, there are over 6,000 units in the downtown core and over 3,300 new units have been added since 2005.  An extra hour each day is five hours per week.  Over the year, this is an extra ten days to do something other than being stuck in traffic- that adds up to two full work weeks!  A move downtown can bring financial savings, physical well-being and increased life satisfaction!

-Michael

With the recent news stories about ORCA card privacy, Choose Your Way Bellvue staff has been receiving a lot of questions about how the ORCA card collects trip information and whether an employer can track an employee’s movements.  To help you better understand the ORCA card privacy issues, here is a list of the most frequently asked questions that we have received:

Is my ORCA information secure?
No personal information (name, birth date, credit card number, etc.) is stored directly on the ORCA cards.  There is no way for someone who steals or finds your ORCA card to obtain this information.  Any personal information is stored in a secure, confidential database that is separate from data about the card’s use.  This information is only linked in the case of a customer service inquiry, such as a lost/stolen card or refund request, or to load value onto a registered ORCA card.

Can my employer see where I am going if I get an ORCA card from them?
As you have read in the newspaper, your employer does have access to reports that show trip data for the ORCA cards associated with their business account.  However, this report only shows summary level transaction data (trip date, transit agency, route and time of transaction) and is not associated with any personal information (name, birth date, etc.) or even an ORCA card serial number.  An employer can request to receive the card serial number for a particular trip if they suspect misuse. This request must be done in writing and include a valid reason for the request.  If the request is granted then the employer will be given the serial number of the ORCA card.  It is up to each employer to determine if they are going to link ORCA card serial numbers with the name of the person using that card. 

Why does the ORCA card collect trip information?
The ORCA program collects data that is necessary for calculating the correct fare and distributing that fare revenue accurately between the 7 participating agencies.  They also use aggregate data from revenue collection and distribution to track regional travel patterns to assist with future transit service design.  Individual card data is uses by the ORCA agencies only to assist with customer service inquiries, such as loss/theft or refund requests.

Is there anything I can do if I don’t want any personal data collected by ORCA?
You have a number of options for maintaining anonymity when using the ORCA system.

- Talk to your employer:  If you receive an ORCA card from your employer, you can contact them directly about your concerns.  Employers set their own policies about ORCA card privacy and the information they can access.

- Use a personal card:  Your employer has no access to any data collected on an ORCA card you obtain personally.

- Use an unregistered personal card: Every ORCA card user has the option to not register their card and this allows a customer to use the card anonymously.  The drawback to having an unregistered card is that there is no way to transfer your funds to a new card if yours is lost or stolen.

- Pay cash: You can continue to use cash for all transit rides on all seven transit agencies.  However, interagency transfers are no longer accepted unless a customer is using an ORCA card.

Still have questions?  Post a comment and TransManage staff will be happy to help!

-Caryn

You’ve probably seen Metro Vanpools in your town or in Bellevue, but do you know what they are? Years back a lady in my neighborhood parked a Metro Vanpool at her house. I assumed she was a Metro employee and drove the van around. Now I know better. In fact, I even drive a Metro Vanpool! Anyone can start a vanpool. You need at least 5 people to start. It works best if you all live and work in a common place. The group is free to designate pick up and drop off points as well as start and leave times.

I have been driving my van for a year and 3 months. In all honesty, the van was rather challenging to start because I couldn’t find enough riders. It took me 3 months to get the van on the road. .Eventually I was able to find all of the riders for my van at www.rideshareonline.com. My advice: don’t give up when starting your vanpool. Eventually you will find enough riders!

Here is a question for you: What is stopping you from being in a vanpool? Do you not have enough information on how it works? Are you scared of the commitment? I’d love to hear what you have to say.

In my next post I’ll try to address some of your concerns.

-Melissa

You may have heard that on January 1 standard transit passes made the shift to ORCA, but did YOU make the switch? If you were using an employer-provided bus pass, like Flex Pass or U-PASS, there is no need for you to acquire an individual ORCA card because your employer will provide a card. But if you were a regular purchaser of a monthly Puget Pass or another transit pass product, you may be scratching your head about how you will pay for your bus commute now. Have no fear! We at Choose Your Way Bellevue have mapped out the five ways to get a hold of your very own ORCA card:

1. Online: Visit OrcaCard.com and create a new My Orca Account by clicking through the “Need a Card” and “Order New Card” links. Once your complete your My Orca Account profile, you will have the choice to either load a monthly bus pass product onto your card (essentially the new Puget Pass), or load cash into your “E-purse” which will be deducted from just like a debit card when you ride the bus. Both options require online payment with a valid Visa or Mastercard. Once you have completed the online process your ORCA card will show up in your mailbox shortly and ready to use!

*Note: Online option is for Adult ORCA cards only. Youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards must be purchased in person at an ORCA Customer service office (see “In Person Option A” below).

2. By Mail: Download the ORCA Card Order/Add Value Form, fill out the required sections, and mail your completed application to: ORCA Regional Mail Center, 201 S Jackson Street, MS TR-0108, Seattle, WA 98104-3856. Load a monthly pass product or cash into your “E-purse” by sending a check, credit card # or money order with your application. You may also load your ORCA card online or by phone a once you receive your card.

*Note: By Mail option is for Adult and Youth (ages 6 to 18) ORCA cards only. Senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards must be purchased in person at an ORCA Customer service office (see “In Person” options below).

3. By Phone: Call the ORCA customer service hotline at 1-888-988-6722 or TTY Relay: 711/1-888-889-6368. Payment for loading a monthly pass or cash into your “E-purse” requires a valid Visa or Mastercard.

*Note: Phone option is for Adult ORCA cards only. Youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards must be purchased in person at an ORCA Customer service office (see “In Person Option A” below).

4. In Person:

Option A - ORCA Customer Service Office. Click on the link to view offices by agency and location. Adult, youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA card applications are accepted. Most forms of payment are also accepted.

Option B - Participating Retail Outlet. Click on the link to view retail outlets and locations. Pick up a new ORCA card (Adult fare customers only) and load a monthly bus pass or cash to your “E-purse” (all customers).

Option C – Stop by either of these downtown Bellevue locations Monday through Friday, while supplies last: Commuter Connection store, in the Rider Services Building at the Bellevue Transit Center, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. TransManage office. 500 108th Ave. NE, Suite 210, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

*Note: Only Adult fare customers can receive a new blank ORCA card at a participating retail outlet, the Commuter Connection store or the TransManage office. Customers eligible for reduced fare (Youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards must first obtain a reduced fare ORCA card at an ORCA Customer Service Office (see Option A) prior to adding value.

5. Ticket Vending Machine: Located on the mezzanine level of all Sound Transit Link light rail and Sounder commuter rail stations. Click on this link to view the full list of self-serve ticket vending machine locations. A machine is expected to be installed at the Bellevue Transit Center in spring 2010. TVM purchases require cash or valid Visa or MasterCard.

*Note: Only Adult fare customers may receive new ORCA card at a Ticket Vending Machine. Customers eligible for reduced fare (Youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards) must first obtain a reduced fare ORCA card at an ORCA Customer Service Office before  adding value at a TVM location.

And please be aware that through January 31 the standard ORCA card is available at no charge, however beginning February 1, 2010 a $5 card fee will be charged. Current youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Reduced Regional Fare Permit holders may exchange their valid RRFP card at a ORCA Customer Service Office (see locations above) any time for a new ORCA RRFP card at no charge. A new RRFP ORCA card costs $3.

Happy travels!

-Jordan

-Jordan

Bellevue Magic Season and other holiday events are now in full swing. This season, enjoy all the holiday fun without the hassle of sitting in traffic or searching for parking. Take one of 24 Metro and Sound Transit bus routes that pass through the Bellevue Transit Center from locations near and far—Redmond, Everett, Issaquah and Kirkland just to name a few. Most Bellevue Magic Season venues are accessible by bus and a walk of 0.3 miles or less, so get on board and let getting here be part of the adventure. Plan your own excursion using ChooseYourWayBellevue.org or the regional trip planner at http://transit.metrokc.gov.

Also follow these easy travel tips to spend more time enjoying the holiday sights, sounds and celebrations in Downtown Bellevue.

TRY THE NE 4TH STREET EXIT: Driving to the Bellevue Collection? You may save time by skipping NE 8th Street. NE 2nd and NE 10th will help you bypass backups as well. And, if you’re coming from the east side of Bellevue, try the new NE 10th Street overpass bridge.

RIGHT TURN STRATEGY: If The Bravern is your destination, make a right turn into garage entrances on 110th Avenue NE, NE 8th Street or 112th Avenue NE. If you’re traveling west on NE 8th, you can legally make a U-turn at the 110th Avenue NE intersection to get going in the “right” direction.

2+ PEOPLE: Arriving with friends or family in your car? Take advantage of the direct access ramp at NE 6th Street, as well as HOV lanes on I-405, I-90 and parts of SR-520.

ON-STREET PARKING: Park steps from the doors of your favorite shops in Old Bellevue for up to two hours.

WATCH FOR PEDESTRIANS: With so much going on downtown, even more people will be out and about on foot. Please use caution when making turns.

TRANSIT:Try the bus. Metro and Sound Transit provide many routes to the Downtown Bellevue Transit Center. Route and schedule information is available at metro.kingcounty.gov and soundtransit.org.

Have a holiday travel idea to share with other Choose Your Way Bellevue readers? Click on the “Add a Comment” link below this post to share your tip!

-Jordan

Watch this video learn more about the Commuter Connection Store and its services. For more information about new services and upcoming events at the Commuter Connection Store, visit the Commuter Connection Store page on ChooseYourWayBellevue.org.

Everyone remembers the headache last winter’s snow storm provided commuters—especially bus riders. From 1.5 hour waits at the bus stop to jam packed coaches, transit agencies around the region seemed to be caught off guard by the uninvited blizzard and the effect it had on bus service. But this year we’ve learned that King County Metro is helping riders get prepared before the snowfall as well as informing commuters on what to do during a storm. Here is Metro’s “know before you go” snow checklist:

Before snow season—make sure to sign-up or bookmark these NEW tools to get timely updates:

• Sign-up to get Metro Transit Alerts by e-mail: www.kingcounty.gov/metro/signup
  Metro will send alerts about changes to service for bus routes you select.
• Visit the Metro Online Alerts Center: www.kingcounty.gov/metro/alerts
  Learn about changes to bus service because of snow or other disruptions. The “Snow & Ice” section has a new map showing where buses have been rerouted because of snow, a list of all rerouted buses and links to descriptions of snow routes. The map also has seven areas that will be color-coded to show how bus routes are operating (see example of map to the right). When online, look at the color of areas where you want to travel:

Green = Buses are operating on regular routes in that area.

Yellow = Some buses are on their planned snow routes. By clicking on a yellow area you can find out which buses have been rerouted. Another click will get you detailed information about your selected route.

Red = All buses in that area are on planned snow routes and some routes may be cancelled. By clicking on a red area you can learn which routes are cancelled and find links to more information about snow routes.

Blue = Metro has declared a snow emergency and has activated its Emergency Service Network (see more info below) of about 70 core routes, 8 of which would still travel through the Bellevue Transit Center.

• Save Metro’s Customer Information Office number: (206) 553-3000
  Metro’s customer information specialists will answer your questions about transit service. Interpreters are available. If you call during bad weather, wait times may be longer than usual, so consider using Metro Online and Metro Transit Alerts to get information faster—and free up phone lines for people without Web access.

When it snows:

• Before you travel, check weather reports and find out from Metro if your bus has been rerouted.
  To find the snow route for your bus, follow these steps: Go to Metro Online; Find “Get a Timetable” and enter your bus route number; Click on the “Route Map” button; The map will show the regular route and a dashed line for the snow route.
• Expect delays.
  Dress for the weather and prepare to wait longer at your bus stop. Travel times may be slower than normal.
  
• Know other bus routes or stops that would work for you if your regular service is delayed or rerouted.
  You may find more bus service on cleared arterials, at major transit hubs, and at park-and-ride lots.
  
• Keep in mind that Metro has limited ability to provide “real-time” bus information during severe weather.
  If buses are rerouted, Metro Online’s Tracker cannot provide precise information about bus locations or arrival and departure times. The online Trip Planner and timetables do not provide information about delayed or rerouted buses.
  
• If an extremely severe snowstorm occurs, Metro may activate its planned Emergency Service Network.
  Metro’s regular network of more than 220 bus routes would be completely replaced with an emergency service network of about 70 routes designed to be reliable in the worst weather. Only 8 of these buses would come through the Bellevue Transit Center. Metro would maintain this core service as long as roads are passable for buses. The Emergency Service Network would provide bus service on major roads and connecting service in some neighborhoods. Some areas would have no bus service because of their location or terrain. If Metro must activate the Emergency Service Network, they will notify customers the day before it goes into effect through Metro Online and Metro Transit Alerts.

-Jordan

Climate change. Everyone’s talking about it. But what are we doing about? An article from The Christian Science Monitor about this topic recently caught our eye. It states that “discussion of climate change has been high on domestic and international agendas, but the sad truth is that little has been done to fight it”. So how do we kick our butts in gear to reduce our country’s carbon footprint? Is a recession the only proven condition to get people off the road, subsequently cutting emissions? According to the article’s author, Robert Dujarric, the climate debate must be refocused. The environmental arguments empower some to make change, but not the masses. Instead, Dujarric says to appeal to patriotism. What? American patriotism = lower carbon emissions? Here’s his argument:

Given the location of the world’s petroleum reserves, when Americans pull out their credit cards at the gas pump, they indirectly fund the economies of countries like Iran, Venezuela, Libya, Sudan, and not to mention Al Qaeda (whose financial backers include many who are in the fossil fuels business). Even if the oil sold in the US comes from Alaska, Texas or allies like Norway, American demand drives up the price of the commodity, thereby pumping huge flows of dollars into the treasuries of its enemies. If Americans start thinking about their dependence on oil as equivalent to providing assistance to our enemies, more citizens would be open to looking for and practicing alternatives.

Dujarric doesn’t believe we should throw out the environmental arguments altogether. He instead believes supporting them with a new patriotic message might do the trick to cutting down our oil consumption. What motivates and inspires you to decrease your carbon footprint? Is it saving endangered species and improving air quality or is it protecting US borders? Let us know your thoughts about the climate change debate by submitting a comment below. Also, be sure to calculate your own carbon footprint on our carbon emissions calculator. You may be surprised at what you find!

-Jordan

Fall Wheel Options is back! Join thousands of others across the state who choose not to drive alone to work at least twice during Wheel Options, October 18-31. Log your commutes at www.WheelOptions.org and you could win the trip to Italy with a Rick Steves Best of Rome 7 Day Tour! Eligible wheel options include carpooling and vanpooling, riding the bus or train, bicycling or walking to work, working from home or simply not commuting because of your compressed work week schedule. There are many fantastic prizes, including weekend getaways and your favorite merchant gift cards. All participants will receive a two-for-one coupon courtesy of Amtrak Cascades. What have you got to lose?

-Melissa

In recognition of International Walk to School Month we thought we would provide Choose Your Way Bellevue reader’s with a list of online resources to help you jump on the bandwagon of walking to school! Check out the links below, then talk with your children, friends, co-workers or schoolmates about starting up a walking (or biking) program at your own school!

• Official Website of International Walk to School Month
• Walking School Bus
• School Programs with Feet First: A local organization with the mission of building walkable communities
• Washington State Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School Program

-Jordan

Hey bicyclists―check out this “don’t miss” event! The City of Bellevue and Cascade Bicycle Club are presenting the Bicycle Maintenance Series during the month of November. Become a master of bicycle repairs and
start saving time and money!
Here are the details:

Cascade Bicycle Club professionals will teach the intricacies of bicycle mechanics and train participants to tackle all repairs efficiently on their own. Taught in a three-part series. Pick the course you need, or enroll in all three at a discount price. Necessary supplies and helpful handouts provided. Ages 15 and up only please. Enroll in all three courses for $120 and save! For more info and to RSVP visit www.MyParksAndRecreation.com or call 425-452-6885.

Fix a Flat
Monday, November 2, 6:30-9:00 p.m. $45
Learn basic maintenance techniques, including efficient flat tire repairs and everyday adjustments.

Chains and Derailleurs
Monday, November 16, 6:30-9:00 p.m. $45
Sync up those squeaky gears and bring your bike up to speed. This course will focus on the mechanics of shifting and turn you into a gear repair expert.

Brakes
Monday, November 23, 6:30-9:00 p.m. $45
Coaster? Disk? Pad? Don’t let technical braking mechanics keep you from obtaining premium braking power and safety. This course will focus on repairing braking systems so they are as strong and quite as when you bought the bike!

-Jordan

For most businesses, reducing expenses and providing additional employee benefits do not go hand in hand. However, many Downtown Bellevue companies are learning that offering employees various commute options can actually save them money. Employee parking is often a major cost of doing business; however with the addition of commute benefits, such as transit pass programs, companies can better manage and maintain their parking programs.

To learn more about how your company can save money with commute benefits attend the upcoming Commute Advantage Workshops that will be held on Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 28. Both workshops will be at 2:00p.m. in the TransManage office at 500 108th Avenue NE, Suite 210. Please RSVP to caryn@bellevuedowntown.org or 425-453-0644.

-Caryn

Riding the bus and saving energy go hand in hand! On Wednesday October 7, beginning at 7 a.m., Puget Sound Energy will give away energy-saving compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to Sound Transit bus riders.

A magician will also be on hand at the transit center to entertain the Wednesday morning commuters. The magician will then ride the 564/565 Sound Transit routes through South King County, giving free CFL bulbs to bus passengers and at the Renton, Kent, and Auburn stations.

If you can’t make it Wednesday morning, or don’t ride the bus, don’t worry!  PSE customers can exchange up to 10 incandescent bulbs for free CFL bulbs at the remaining weekend Rock the Bulb events:

• Oct. 10-11, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Auburn Lowe’s (1232 A Street N.E.)
• Oct. 17-18, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Puyallup Lowe’s (301 27th Ave S.E.)
• Oct. 24-25, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Lacey Lowe’s (5610 Corp Center Lane S.)
• Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.: Olympia Lowe’s (4230 Martin Way East)

-Jordan

King County Metro and Sound Transit’s bus service changes begin Saturday, Sept 19.
Are you ready?

Three times per year (September, February and June) King County Metro and Sound Transit make revisions to their bus service. The changes are made in order to adapt to our region’s population growth and economic conditions, the school year calendar, new road networks, and to keep bus trips as fast and convenient as possible.

Do you know if your bus route is part of the September 19 service change? Make sure to pick up your route’s new light purple timetable for more details, or visit the following websites to learn more about the specific changes:

• King County Metro Service Changes and Revisions
• Sound Transit Service Changes and Revisions

If you ride Community Transit or Pierce Transit also check their new schedules or refer to their websites.

-Jordan

September 3 concludes the Bellevue Downtown Association’s 3^rd Annual Walk Downtown Bellevue campaign. For 10 weeks Walk Downtown Bellevue participants were challenged to leave their car behind and walk 10,000 steps a day. Free Starter Kits, which included a pedometer, were given to the first 1,500 people who signed up to track their steps online at bellevuedowntown.org/walk.

Over the years Downtown Bellevue has become quite a “walkable” city. I routinely walk to the mall, the bank, to lunch and to meetings during my work day. Not only does the fresh air help to clear my mind, but walking those few extra times throughout the day has really benefited my health and fitness routine. Rumor has it the average office worker only takes about 3,000 steps per day so increasing my count to 10,000 was quite the test! Of course the amazing weather we’ve had this summer really helped my cause to get outside and walk.

The campaign’s overall step count will be announced at a Celebration Day during this week’s Live at Lunch Concert on Thursday, September 3, noon-1:30 p.m. at Bellevue Galleria, featuring Beatles cover band Creme Tangerine. Be sure to walk on by, listen to some great music, and help us celebrate an active Downtown!

-Jordan

King County Metro is giving you old school prices for a new school commute! Start a new 7-passenger King County Metro vanpool and pay just 40 bucks a month per person for the first two months. Gas, insurance and maintenance are all included. Promotion is limited to the first 36 groups who start by December 31, 2009.

Call 206-625-4500 to get started in a vanpool today!

For more information on King County Metro’s vanpool program visit http://metro.kingcounty.gov/commutervans or email vanpool.information@kingcounty.gov.

Find carpool and vanpool matches online at www.rideshareonline.com.

Sound Transit has partnered with the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) to offer this awesome video contest to Puget Sound area transit users, so we wanted to let you know about it!

Why have YOU Dumped the Pump?
• Saving your hard-earned cash?
• Helping to protect our environment?
• Is traffic is stressing you out?

Whatever the reason, you could win a year of free public transportation from Sound Transit by entering APTA’s Dump the Pump video contest. Simply to send a video explaining why you are “Dumping the Pump” and riding public transportation. Here’s how:

1. Create a video with your phone or digital camera and film yourself describing why you’re Dumping the Pump this summer. Get creative!

2. Upload your video to YouTube and make sure to tag your submission with “dump the pump.” APTA will find it and add it to the other videos at the Dump the Pump YouTube channel.

Here’s what you could win:
• Free public transportation from Sound Transit for one year if your video is chosen by APTA as having the most overall impact. Second place winner will receive six months of free transit. Third prize is three months of free transit.
• The first 25 individuals who submit a video entry to the contest will receive a $25 VISA cash card just for competing.

But hurry! APTA’s Dump the Pump contest ends September 18, 2009.

Learn more at Sound Transit’s Dump the Pump site.

See some of the videos that have already been submitted:

-Jordan

It’s nearly 8 a.m. as I begin my journey down the long set of stairs into Westlake Station in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, but this morning I will not be transferring to my usual route across I-90 to my office in Downtown Bellevue. Instead, I will be hoping on Sound Transit’s new Link Light Rail line, Central Link, for a test drive!

Why do you ask? I work for TransManage, the transportation service of the Bellevue Downtown Association.  We provide services, tools and resources for Downtown Bellevue employees to make the most out of their commute, from planning transit trips to finding rideshare partners, and more. We have a partnership with King County Metro and the City of Bellevue’s Transportation Department who have asked me to write about my experience riding Central Link—the good, the bad, and the ugly. So here you have it:

My first encounter with Link was in September 2008. Sound Transit invited us to take a tour of the new light rail line and maintenance facilities. We began the tour in Seattle and were taken by bus along the line through Rainier Valley to the final stop in Tukwila.  At the time, completion of Central Link didn’t seem too far off since light rail cars were already running back and forth on the tracks and we were even able to go inside one to look around. But months of testing still had to be done to ensure safety and proper functionality of the system. Why do these things take so long anyway?

Flash forward to June 18, 2009 when the 13.9-mile Central Link light rail line from Westlake Station to the Tukwila International Boulevard opened to the public (Central Link’s extension to Sea-Tac Airport will open in December 2009).  According to Sound Transit’s “ST_TravelLight” Twitter page, Link trains carried 51,000 riders on opening day—over double the ridership Central Link is expected to reach every weekday by the end of 2009. I think temperatures reached over 90° degrees that day. What dedicated light rail fans!

Now back to my ride. It was a few weeks after the grand opening so I had a number of questions running through my head: Who will be riding Link and where will they be going? How will the payment system work? Will there be any bugs or malfunctions? And how will Link be timed with the buses that travel through the bus tunnel?

All of these questions and more were about to be answered with my first ride on Seattle’s new light rail line. As the next train approached I wondered how I would pay my way on. There were new ORCA card readers in every direction, but no check-point or fare gate to indicate that I was a paying customer. Maybe I would be able to swipe my FlexPass in the light rail car? I’d soon find out that was not the case.

Many of you probably saw the headline story Link’s ticket system confounds light-rail riders in The Seattle Times August 12^th edition. From reading this article you can see I am certainly not the only one to ponder the complicated fare question, but Sound Transit has been implementing software upgrades to work out bugs in the ticket machines and expects riders will get used to the new payment system over time.

After getting situated for my first leg from Westlake to Stadium I browsed Sound Transit’s “Travel Light: Guide to Central Link light rail” brochure. I soon learned fare inspectors are stationed on the trains to periodically check passengers for their ticket or bus pass. Wish I knew this before thinking I had illegally boarded the train, but now I know, and practice makes perfect.

Central Link makes 12 stops from Westlake Station to Tukwila International Blvd Station so I planned to hop off and on the train to observe the character and amenities of the surface, tunnel and elevated stations. Here’s what you’ll find:

First Stop: Stadium (501 S Royal Brougham W, Seattle)
Funny enough, I was the only passenger who got off at this stop and the only person waiting on the platform for the next train to come. In between rides I took some time to walk around this street-level station. Everything from the ground to the ticket vending machines to the benches looked sparkling clean. Info boards with Central Link’s route map and “how to” ride and purchase tickets were everywhere to help inform riders. I scoped out the ticket vending machines which seemed fairly straight forward; however I’m not sure someone who doesn’t work within the transportation field or regularly purchase a monthly bus pass would find them as user-friendly.

Second Stop: Beacon Hill (17th Ave S & S McClellan Street, Seattle)
What a sight! This station was created with a tunnel boring machine drilling165 feet under Beacon Hill’s surface. High speed elevators take passengers up to street level with the option to transfer to connecting bus routes or store your bicycle in a locker. Aesthetically, Beacon Hill is atthe top. Beautiful glass artwork flies above the station’s platform and deep purple walls set a calm environment. By far my favorite!

Third Stop: Mount Baker (2415 S McClellan Street, Seattle)
This elevated station was also quite striking, especially its size. Mount Baker came not long after the Beacon Hill stop. I got off here and was pleasantly surprised to see about 10 other passengers getting on and off the train as well. I took the escalator down to the main level and saw more colorful artwork that lined the ceiling. As with Beacon Hill, the Mount Baker station has a prominent street presence, which I think is great, simply from a public knowledge stand-point.

Fourth Stop: Tukwila International Blvd (15426 35th Ave S, Tukwila)
This was my final stop before making the journey back to Seattle and then Bellevue. Tukwila Station is another elevated station with access to ticket vending machines, bicycle lockers, and even a 600-stall park & ride lot. Until the extension to Sea-Tac is completed (December 2009), connector buses run every 10 to15 minutes to get riders to their final airport destination—and your Link ticket, bus pass or transfer will get you on for free! Tukwila is where my journey came to an end. It was time to ride Link back to International District Station and transfer to the 550 to get back to my office in Downtown Bellevue.

Overall my first ride on Central Link was a positive one. It was quite amazing how fast the train went and how often a new train would arrive at each station—7.5 minute headways during peak commuting times and 15 minute headways during the off-peak. I’ll probably never need to look at a schedule again! And as with any new infrastructure upgrade it’s given that unforeseen flaws will arise and eventually be worked out. Folks using the system will take some time to adjust to new protocols. And there will be mixed reviews from the community as word travels around about good and bad experiences. But from someone who grew up in Bellevue my entire life and never stepped foot onto our public transportation system until college, I find Link light rail quite the accomplishment for our region. I will eagerly await the Airport Link and University Link extensions, and in 2020, the East Link connection across Lake Washington to Downtown Bellevue. Now I just need Sound Transit to put a line close to my apartment…just for convenience sake.

-Jordan