Archive for the ‘Choose Your Way Bellevue’ Category

Who says people only drive in Bellevue?

Under almost impossibly blue skies, the gleaming new RapidRide B line was unveiled this morning before a smattering of elected officials, King County Metro employees and transit aficionados. Two inaugural rides, one originating at Bellevue City Hall and the other coming from the Redmond Transit Center, met at Crossroads Mall to a slew of fanfare, celebration, and even an appearance from a superhero.

“I feel like this is our golden spike moment,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Today, we’re bringing together the Eastside with new, reliable transit service. With RapidRide B, you’ll spend less time waiting and more time moving. It’s a leap forward in meeting the goal of increased efficiency for our entire transit system.”

RapidRide B officially begins October 1, and will speedily shuttle passengers between the Redmond and Bellevue Transit Centers, operating about 20% faster than the current service along the corridor with more frequent headways. As King County Council member Kathy Lambert explained “With the RapidRide B, you can throw out those annoying schedules—you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that your bus will always be coming in 10-15 minutes.” The RapidRide B coaches feature 3 entrances for speedier boarding, low floors, on-board wifi, and have the distinctly 21^st century ability to interact with the traffic signals, meaning prolonged green lights to keep the bus moving. Additionally, 19 RapidRide stations have been installed throughout the corridor, all of which feature real time arrival information, ORCA card readers, benches, and a lighted signal that passengers can activate to let bus drivers know they’re waiting.

RapidRide B service is funded primarily through revenue from Transit Now, a 1/10th cent sales tax increase approved by King County voters in 2006 for improvements to bus service. Additional funding for RapidRide B came through a partnership between King County Metro and the Federal Transit Administration’s Small Starts program, which provides money to transit agencies throughout the country specifically for bus rapid transit initiatives. Any corridor with more than 3,000 riders automatically qualifies for the funding. Executive Constantine highlighted the importance of partnerships in the creation of RapidRide B, and Councilmember Jane Hague seconded: “The fact that we were able to deliver on this during a recession means that we are doing things right in King County, and providing intelligent transportation solutions that connect our region,” she said.

The launch of the RapidRide B Line coincides with a major east side transportation system restructuring, designed to improve the efficiency of the entire network. 12 underperforming routes were deleted as part of the changes, but many new routes have been added. Public officials praised both the changes and new service at today’s event, zeroing in on the importance of transit to accommodate the exponential population and job growth predicted for the Eastside. Bellevue Mayor Don Davidson stressed that  “the B line will support future job growth in our eastside urban centers, and will also connect with future East Link light rail stations.”  Congressman Dave Reichert explained that “not only will this new service benefit commuters, it will also benefit businesses by freeing up space on the roadway for them to move goods and services.”And with tolling scheduled to begin soon on the 520 bridge, Councilmember Lambert predicted that “the B line will become an invaluable service to commuters. As an east sider, you’ll have the choice of spending over $5300 a year commuting by car to Seattle, or just $1300 on a transit pass. Think of what you could do with all that extra money!”

Lambert also shared her experience of riding the B Line with the crowd, illustrating that riding the bus isn’t just about efficiency or fancy technology. “We really enjoyed our trip this morning, and were reminded of what a gift it is to be able to take [time] out of your day to relax with neighbors, check email, and avoid the stress of sitting in traffic. It’s a great way to feel a part of a community.” And as King County Metro employee Malva Slachowitz pointed out, “the bus even looks like it’s smiling!”

The B line will official start carrying passengers this Saturday at 6am, and rides will be free all weekend. King County Metro is engaging in a full scale marketing blitz to promote the service, and will have street team volunteers handing out information at the Bellevue Transit Center from 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Thursday-Tuesday.  Maps, schedules and information about all route changes are available at metro.kingcounty.gov/up/scvchange.html

Meet VeloBusDriver (@VeloBusDriver on Twitter), the part-time driver for King County Metro who loves everything transit-related. He’s also an avid bicycle commuter and a renewable energy enthusiast. In his previous life, he worked in the tech industry as a SQL database developer and a system administrator.

A tweeter extraordinaire, he’s amassed quite a following in the virtual transportation community. We chatted with him briefly about particulars of life as a bus driver, bicycling in Bellevue (yes, it does happen!) and his views on the future of transportation in our region.

CYWB: Your background is in software testing—how did you come to be a Metro bus driver?

VeloBusDriver: I worked for Microsoft for roughly 12 years. As the company grew I became interested in a different direction. I grew up riding the bus and have many fond memories of riding the #4 trolley on Queen Anne with my grandmother. I continued to ride the bus when it was relatively convenient and during my last year at Microsoft I often wondered what it would be like to drive a bus. During one of my commutes I ran across a driver I knew from church who told me all about the wonderful world of bus driving. It took a while before I actually decided to apply, but that’s when the idea took root.

CYWB: What’s your favorite route to drive and why?

VeloBusDriver: I really don’t have a favorite route. Really, it’s more of a favorite type of route. While I currently can be found driving Sound Transit’s 550, I’m equally comfortable driving the 73 in the U District, and soon the RapidRide B Line. I enjoy routes that are busy, well utilized, with a diverse mix of passengers.

What role do you see smart phones and technology playing in encouraging more people to live car-free/light?

VeloBusDriver: First off, there is the ability to get real time bus arrival information using One Bus Away, Metro’s bus “Tracker”, or Bing’s iPhone app. Knowing how long you have to wait for the next bus goes a long way to make the wait more comfortable. Once you’re on the bus, a smartphone is great for reading the news, Tweeting, or listening to music (with headphones, of course).

CYWB: Bellevue is getting excited about the RapidRide B Line, which will begin service from Bellevue to Redmond in October. We’ve heard some rumors that you’ll be driving. Can you confirm, and tell us what’s cool about Rapid Ride B?

RapidRide B Line has many Bus Rapid Transit features that will increase the speed and reliability of the old 253 bus line. RapidRide B coaches have 3 doors. When you couple that with the ability for passengers to pay off the bus using their ORCA card at the busier stations, you can see that loading the bus will go much faster once people get used to the system. Simply tap your card while you’re waiting for the bus and get on at any door. Another speed enhancing feature for folks utilizing mobility aids is the passive restraint system that allows the individual to simply park their mobility aid and set the brake—the driver no longer needs to secure them into position. (For those who are uncomfortable with the new system, RR B coaches still have a standard forward-facing restraint system like existing buses.) RapidRide coaches also have the ability to interface with the city’s traffic control system to keep green lights green just a little longer and turn red lights green just a little faster. Given the number of traffic lights along the RapidRide route you can quickly see how this will speed the buses along.

CYWB: You’re also a professed cyclist—aside from painting a bunch of bike lanes, what do you think could be done to encourage more bicycling in Bellevue?

VeloBusDriver: Personally, I’d like to see more city employees out on bikes where it makes sense. Given the maneuverability and cost effectiveness of bicycles, they make a lot of sense in denser areas like downtown. I’ve seen Bellevue bicycle police but they are hard to find. Though Bellevue appears to contract out parking enforcement, there is no reason that function couldn’t be done by bicycle. Reading water meters seems like a natural task for a bike for certain parts of the city. I’m not suggesting the city switch over completely to bikes but looking for ways to integrate these inexpensive and useful tools into the city’s operations would go a long way to showing others that you can get around by bike. It could also save the city money!

CYWB: What else are you looking forward to in the realm of regional transportation plans?

VeloBusDriver: While the car will be with us for a very long time, I’d like to see more of a focus on moving people, not simply vehicles. The key is to give people many options to get from point A to point B. Today, for much of our region, the only comfortable choice is to use a car. Sadly, that “choice” leaves us stuck in traffic.

CYWB: From a driver’s perspective, if you could tell the public one thing about how to make the ride go more smoothly, what would you say to them?

VeloBusDriver: Have your fare ready when it’s time to pay. The best way to do this is to use an ORCA card ePurse or monthly pass. ORCA cards can be loaded with cash, credit cards, or debit cards and also offer a 2 hour transfer for use on other public transportation systems/modes. Given the larger number of people on the buses these days, every little bit of time savings adds up. But more broadly speaking, I just wish folks would slow down a bit in life and be willing to try the bus for at least a trip or two per week. Everybody is in such a rush that they always answer “the bus takes longer” as to why they don’t take public transportation. Many of us who ride the bus would answer, “So what? At least I can read, nap, smash birds into blocks, etc… You can’t/shouldn’t do that when driving.” Frankly, I don’t really enjoy driving and do everything I can to avoid it. Yes, I know that is ironic—that’s kind of the point!

Thanks to the participants in our “Once Upon A Bicycle Story!” Here is our winning story, coming to us from Juliet Swedlund. Congrats, Juliet, and happy riding!

“Life in Tandem”

Four years ago, at age 25, I learned to ride a bike. Literally, I had forgotten how to ride a bike, and it wasn’t so easy figuring out how to do it! I started timidly commuting to and from work, but soon entered a world of bicycle enjoyment. Everything from bicycle scavenger hunts and 7-seater rides to painted-body bike riding in the Fremont Solstice Parade and recently completing a 2-day ride from Seattle to Vancouver. Never did I imagine I could enjoy bicycling so much – this coming from a Tennessee native who scoffed when I saw a cyclist on the road! Bicycling changed my life, changed my perspective, and I’m happy to see roads in my hometown are getting more and more bike friendly – something I strongly support even though I live 2000 miles away in the bike-friendly pacific northwest!

I love bicycling so much that my husband and I decided to have a bicycle themed wedding! We had bicycle ties made, bicycle wine charms, a bicycle cake topper, and road off together on a tandem bike! My brother-in-law even wrote and played us a song called ‘Tandem Bike Ride’! For my husband’s birthday I signed us up to ride the RSVP (Seattle-to Vancouver), and I can’t believe I road nearly 200 miles in 2 days! I never would have imagined it! Riding our bikes together has always been something from which we both receive great joy, and look forward to sharing with our future family.

Carla Saulter is a writer, parent and bus rider from Seattle who blogs about being car free on her website BusChick.com. She also writes about public transportation and children at Grist.org. According to her bio, she exchanged her car keys for a bus pass in March of 2003, and has never looked back. You can read more about why she takes the bus in her lovely This I Believe essay, Bus Chick’s Manifesto.

In honor of the “back to school” time of year, we chatted briefly with Carla about the delights and challenges of living car free with kids. Take a peek at our conversation with the Bus Chick herself below. Then feel free to add your own ideas and thoughts on how to work public transportation into your own family in the comments section.

CYWB: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us, Carla! It would be fantastic if you could begin by giving us a brief overview of the landscape of your car free life.

Carla: Because my family does not own a car, transportation considerations were one of our key selection criteria when choosing our home. To me, the location of our home mattered more than the house itself. Even a few blocks can make a huge difference when you spend a lot of time walking.

My husband and I both bus to work (he works in Redmond and I work downtown), and our kids’ daycare is within walking distance. So, one of us can drop them off and catch the bus from there.

CYWB: A lot of people think about going car free or light and say, “that’s great, but it couldn’t possibly be me.” In surveys we’ve conducted, parents often indicate that they need to be able to pick their kids up from school, run errands after work, etc.  I wondered if you could speak to whether going car free could actually be anyone.

Carla: By the time we had kids, we had fortunately already set up our life in such a way that would enable us to continue to be car free. If you’ve already got a home and a job and your life set up a certain way, making the shift can be more challenging.

It’s doesn’t have to be all or nothing, though. The key is thinking about your life differently, and identifying opportunities to make the choice to not drive. Take going to the grocery store for example.  People always think it takes longer to walk, yet if I were to get my kids in the car, drive the 7 blocks to the grocery store, look for parking, get out of the car, unstrap them, and get across the parking lot to the store, the time savings are negated. We tend to accept the daily hassles of driving as given parts of life, when there are lots of other options.

The huge thing for parents is getting kids to and from school—a large percentage of traffic during rush hour is caused by parents taking their kids to school, and many people think they are doing their kids a favor by driving them to school.  But in fact the most dangerous place for a kid to be is in a car, and traffic created by parents driving their kids to school also creates  danger for the children who do walk. The key is re-imagining how your kids get to school, and separating your commutes from theirs. If your kids walk, bike or take the bus to school, that frees up your options for how to get yourself to work.  If you have questions about commuting with children, I would check out the organization Safe Routes to School and  Anne Lutz Fernandez’s book, Carjacked. Both have good, reassuring information for parents who are considering this.

When you’re accustomed to driving, any other choice seems like a lot of hassle –on the surface, getting in the car seems the easiest. When trying a new commute, there is considerable work on the front end, and the challenge is getting people over the initial hump. Challenge yourself to try something for a week—or even once—with the understanding that it’s only a test. If you don’t like it, you can stop.

CYWB: Something you’ve written extensively about is how your kid’s lives have been improved by their experience being on public transportation. Can you talk a bit more about this?

Carla: One huge positive is that my kids are going to be great walkers! Exercise is always going to be an integral part of their life, because they’ve grown up with it as something that’s completely normal.

Their experience is such that getting around doesn’t mean being strapped in a box. The going somewhere for my kids is the adventure, being on the bus, waiting for the bus, walking around in our neighborhood. We’re partners in crime, and everything is an adventure for us. And the majority of the time, young children LOVE buses.

CYWB: Do you have a “survival kit” that you bring on the bus?

Carla: Good question! Not exactly, though there are things I always have with me. I don’t bring toys on the bus, because they take up a lot of room in my bag, and I don’t find that they provide much distraction for an antsy child. We live very close to the library, so I always keep compact, age appropriate books in my bag.  I also have bubbles for bus stops, and nonperishable snacks: raisins or crackers. I am intrigued, however, by the idea of having a special (compact) toy box that only comes out on the bus!

CYWB: Not to put you on the spot, but is there anything that King County Metro could do to improve the public transportation experience for parents?

Carla: Taking a stroller on the bus is terrible. The current policy is that you need to fold the stroller down before you get on the bus, which is extremely time-consuming, cumbersome, and inconvenient. There are some good reasons why this policy exists, but it’s not communicated well or enforced consistently. Low-floor buses help with accessibility for all riders, including parents with children. Link Light rail is easy because you can roll your stroller onto the trains, but there are still some issues. Parents: I recommend using an infant carrier instead of a stroller, but if you are going to bring one, make sure it’s a lightweight umbrella model.

CYWB: For some people, money talks, and according to AAA, you can save up to $9000 annually by not having a car. Have you ever been able to do something awesome with the money you’ve saved?

Carla: My husband has never had a car, so he’s been able to put away quite a lot over the years.  Our kids’ college funds are basically already taken care of, and we can go on adventures when we want. But besides savings, another way to think it is that when you’re a car owner, a lot of your time working is spent towards paying for it.  If you’re not doing that, perhaps you’d be able to work less and have more time with kids. Or, you could choose to retire early so you have more time with your family that way.

CYWB: Some parents express the concern that if they don’t drive to work and an emergency happens, they won’t be able to easily get to home or school. Has that ever factored in to your considerations?

Carla: I think that’s crucial. When I started out riding the bus to work, even before I had kids, I would worry, how would I be able to suddenly leave work if I had to? What would I do if I needed to go home? Now my husband’s employer offers the Guaranteed Ride Home service as part of the ORCA Passport program, and it provides tremendous peace of mind. But even if that service isn’t offered at your workplace, you can always give yourself permission to spend $100 a year on taxis. That’s a small amount compared to the cost of driving every day.

CYWB: Do you find that having a car forces you to become hyper-local? Do you think you miss out on experiences because of that?

Carla: People feel like having a car provides them with unlimited options. It’s true that cars are useful for certain purposes, but not for every trip, every time—certainly not for the majority of trips that Americans use cars for, which are two miles or less. What I’ve found is that there’s so much in my neighborhood!  We go to the library twice a week, and we have three community centers, the lake, and amazing parks all within walking distance. My husband and I also take the bus to go to night events all over town, and we take a Zipcar when we need to go somewhere far.  I love being part of my community, knowing my neighbors, and feeling connected. I think this really gives your kids a sense of place. I mean, why do you live in a neighborhood? What does a neighborhood mean to you if you are always in a car going somewhere else? We just moved onto our street, and we’ve already met most of our neighbors because we’re always out walking. Our lives are not limited, but absolutely enriched.

Contributed by Choose Your Way Bellevue Guest Blogger: Stephanie Frans, Cascade Bicycle Club

May is National Bike Month. This fun-filled month inspires thousands of Puget Sound residents to embark on an exciting new adventure in transportation: bicycling. This tale of adventure stars everyday people just like you, with a supporting cast of events, encouragement, inspiration, and incentives.

This year involves an exciting plot development in Bellevue….big time bike love. In addition to all the Bike Month events produced by Cascade Bicycle Club, Choose Your Way Bellevue has set the stage for a thriving bike scene in Bellevue. Check it out!

Join thousands of your best bike friends on F5 Bike to Work Day, Friday May 20th. Stop by a commute station along your route to grab a free water bottle, fuel up with tasty treats, grab a local bike map, or pump up your tires. In downtown Bellevue, be sure to stop by the Bike Bar at Commuter Connection at the Bellevue Transit Center. The Factoria area will feature a great station at the I-90 Bike Trail intersection at SE 34th Street.

But why stop with a simple one-day cameo appearance? Why not join the cast for a month-long production that will transform you into an A-list celebrity bike commuter. The Group Health Commute Challenge builds a heartwarming story of team camaraderie with dramatic elements of fierce competition among teams and organization.

Cascade Bicycle Club not only produces Bike Month, but also supports bicycling every day of the year. We look forward to working with businesses, elected officials, and transportation agencies to create a better Bellevue through bicycling.

Perhaps they are crossing the I-90 Bridge on their commute into downtown from Seattle, or enjoying a lunchtime ride through the lush green of the Bellevue Downtown Park. Or maybe they’re delivering sandwiches from Jimmy Johns to high-rise office buildings, or parking their bikes at Commuter Connection. From CEO’s to janitors, clad in anything from spandex to high heels, they routinely take to the streets: the few, the proud, the mighty.  

As we gear up for Bike Month in May, we want to demonstrate that people do bike in Bellevue—contrary to what the perception may be. So, we’re running a “Spot a Cyclist Contest” from now until April 17th.  To participate, simply take a photo of a cyclist or evidence of bicycle infrastructure—bike lanes, bike racks, or bicycles around town, and post it to our Facebook page along with your email address. Just for posting, you will automatically win your choice of a Choose Your Way Bellevue pen, tote bag or bike/walk safety light! The best photo of all will make it onto our Bike Month promotional materials (with due credit of course)!

Help us give visibility to our bikers! Spot a cyclist—and win!

Are you interested in telework but have questions about how a work from home program could be successfully implemented at your company? Choose Your Way Bellevue works with telework expert Rick Albiero, CEO of the Telecomuting Advantage Group (TAG). Submit your telework questions to our expert here, or read on for previous Q&A’s requested publicly on the Telework Bellevue Ask an Expert page. And be sure to check back for more telework questions and answers from our expert. The Q&A’s are featured here on the Choose Your Way Bellevue blog on a monthly basis.

Question 4:  We are concerned about data security and the amount of traffic our Intranet system can handle. Is this typically a major investment that companies need to make associated with telecommuting?

Rick’s Reply: The technology that supports telework/telecommuting programs has not only become much less expensive over the last several years, but it is also much more robust, user-friendly, and in many cases does not require the purchase of new hardware. Financial and health institutions have found that these systems are robust enough to meet federal requirements.  We also work with several architecture and engineering companies that have no problem with data security needs or handling very large drawing files. Other benefits of these systems are that they track and control access to files, provide file revision control and allow employees to be productive while travelling, working remotely and at client sites. Microsoft, Citrix Online, Adobe and other software providers offer online collaboration tools that support teleworkers at a very low price point. If you have more specific questions or would like additional information feel free to contact TAG.

-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.

• Caryn: Strange as it sounds, my commute home on the bus is one of my favorite parts of the day. It is a great time to unwind and get a little “me time” where I can read, sleep or just sit and do nothing! That is why it has been rewarding for me to help other commuters and employers in downtown Bellevue discover how great it is to ride the bus and use other alternative commute options.
• Debbie: As a kid, mom and I took the bus to downtown Seattle from Beacon Hill to shop for groceries and clothes (Mom never drove a car – dad tried to teach her but he gave up). I rode two buses each way to a private grade school located in Rainier Beach and learned I could finish my homework during the long trips on routes 3 and 7. My current home was chosen for convenience to the city’s core and access by bus. Those early years left an impression on me and defined my 16 year career to reduce congestion and improve air quality by assisting employers in developing commute programs. Lesson learned: Teach our young there are alternatives to driving.
• Drew: I have been a bicycle commuter since high school, and have come to realize that it’s not just a form of transportation for me – it’s also a stress reliever, a personal trainer, and way to slow down and enjoy life. My family enjoys riding together, and now that we’ve been car-less for a year, I find that I also do more errands by bike (though we do use a Zipcar for trips to Costco and rent a car for weekend getaways).
• Jordan: Working in downtown Bellevue by day and living in Seattle by night. I’m a heavy user of my employer-issued FlexPass which allows me to choose the bus whenever possible. From commuting on Sound Transit’s 550 to going to a Mariners game by a local Metro route to getting to the airport via Central Link, it’s all covered! High parking costs and my FlexPass have helped me transition to using my car less and less. When transit is not an option I choose to carpool with friends to the gym and other destinations to save gas money and time.
• Kate: After growing up in Bellevue and riding the bus a lot as a kid, I feel fortunate to work as a transportation planner making it easier for people to get around without driving along. I have settled on a year-round combined bicycle/bus commute on most days and think of myself as a “gentlewoman” bike commuter. No lycra for me; I just slap the rubber band around my pants leg (plus helmet, lights and reflective gear) and I’m good to go.
• Melissa: Vanpooling is my preferred commute mode. Why you ask? I live roughly 25 miles away from downtown Bellevue, love to drive, and hate sitting in traffic. By being in a vanpool I get to drive the van to work and back while not having to sit in traffic since we can utilize the carpool lane. I forgot to mention that I only pay $45 a month out of pocket to ride in the van. What more could a girl want?
• Mike: Growing up in Michigan, I rode my bike a lot. Cars (of course, the mainstay industry of the state) were the cultural norm but I never used one regularly nor had one of my own. Now as an adult, I do have regular access to a car but living in downtown Seattle, I only occasionally have need to use it. Daily commute trips are easy by bus and the Flexpass covers not only my daily commute, but also trips around town for errands or weekend activities, even the trip to the airport for out of town journeys (with no need to pay for parking). I still like to ride my bike, but it takes extra logistics to carry along my 3-year old daughter, so we often end up taking the bus—and now light rail—for trips that exceed walking distance.
• Sarah: As a South Carolina native who grew up without access to public transportation, but having “survived” on buses and trains during a 4-month college study abroad experience in England, I am thrilled to once again live in an area where I have a choice on how I move around. You’ll find me making use of my local park & ride options to connect with express buses to Bellevue, special event Sounder trains to Seahawks games and Link Light Rail for late night adventures in Seattle.

Want to stay connected to Bellevue transportation information through your social networking account? Become a fan of ChooseYourWayBellevue.org on Facebook! Choose Your Way Bellevue’s news & updates are streamed through an RSS feed and are updated on the Facebook fan page whenever a new post is made. Could we make it any simpler to stay in the know?

Join TransManage every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday beginning July 7 at the Bellevue Downtown Association’s summer concert series, Live at Lunch. Bring your lunch and stop by the TransManage table to learn how to have a stress-free summer commute. For a list of what TransManage will be featuring each week, visit our events calendar!

Today marks the official launch of Chooseyourwaybellevue.org 2.0! The refreshed site hosts a collection of new interactive features to enhance the user experience as well as raise the site’s awareness as Bellevue’s one-stop transportation online resource. Among the list of new upgrades is the Choose Your Way Bellevue Blog (what you are reading now) which will contain posts about anything and everything to do with transportation in and around Bellevue. Be sure to check back to the blog regularly to stay in the know about Bellevue travel options, programs and incentives. Comment on blog posts, pose a transportation question to other readers, or challenge our Choose Your Way Bellevue commute specialists to plan your most cost and time efficient commute!

As the inaugural Choose Your Way Bellevue blog post, we thought we’d take some time to highlight some of the other new features on Chooseyourwaybellevue.org:

§         Track your bus route

§         Learn about incentives & rewards for not driving alone

§         Submit transportation tips to fellow Bellevue residents, commuters & employers

§         Subscribe to the Choose Your Way Bellevue news & updates rss feed

§         Calculate your commute cost & carbon emissions

§         Sign up to receive our Commuter Connection newsletter

§         View the calendar and plan to attend upcoming workshops and events