Archive for the ‘Commute Planning’ Category

Metro VanPool 101:

1) How to get started? To start a vanpool you need at least 5 people. The best place to find riders is www.RideshareOnline.com, but you can also ask coworkers or friends. Often grocery stores or neighborhood coffee shops have boards where you can post fliers.

2) How do you pay? You pay a flat monthly fee based on the # of miles the van is driven. This fee covers gas, maintenance, and insurance. The fee can be split evenly by the number of riders in the van or some vans offer to pay for the primary driver to ride free. For example, my van drives 45 miles round trip, costing $710 a month. My van has 7 individuals, so we each pay $101 a month.

3) Who determines where the van leaves? Riders in the van do not have to all live in the same city or work in the same building. The van has the flexibility to decide pick up and drop off locations. Typically park and rides are used, but groups can decide to pick up riders at their home driveways. You can also pick up riders along your route. The group has full control!

4) Who drives the van? Every van is required to have one primary and at least one backup driver. To become a driver you must complete an online training course.

5) If an emergency happens and I need to leave early, am I responsible for getting myself home? If you or a family member becomes ill, if you have to work unexpected overtime, or another emergency happens on a day you drove in the van, Metro will pay for your taxi ride. Know you don’t have to worry about being stranded or paying out of pocket for taxi fare.

-Melissa

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

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

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

In July we debuted our commute inquiry form, making it easier than ever for you to get customized assistance in exploring your transportation options. Even better, each commuter who made an inquiry was entered into our monthly drawing for a $25 gift card.

Congrats to July’s winner, KW, who let us show her how to commute from Kent by bus and carpool. We found two potential carpool partners for her using www.RideshareOnline.com, as well as a nearby park & ride where she can catch a Sound Transit Express bus directly to Bellevue. We even discovered a few local Metro routes just ¼ of a mile walk from her house that serve Kent Station, meaning she can skip the driving altogether by making one easy transfer to the Express bus.

Last month we also planned:

• A trip to SeaTac Airport, which is $5 round trip from downtown Bellevue—compare that to the cost of parking!
• A bicycle commute from Kirkland to The Summit, which offers bike racks and showers for tenants
• A bus + bike commute from the Ivanhoe neighborhood to Surrey Downs

You could be a winner next month. Just complete our commute form and we’ll do the rest. Not only are you entered to win a $25 gift card, but you’ll also get the best ideas on a cost-saving and stress-reducing commute. Now that’s what I call a victory!

-Sarah

• 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.

Photo Credit: Joshua Trujillo / seattlepi.com

The festive Blue Angels show is upon us. So to ensure to a worry-free Seafair weekend, make sure to plan ahead for the annual I-90 closures across Lake Washington. WSDOT will close all lanes of I-90 between I-5 and Island Crest Way for the following times between Thursday, July 30 and Sunday, August 2:

Date                                         I-90 Bridge Closures

Thursday, July 30                       9:45am-12pm &1:15 pm-2:30pm

Friday, July 31                           12:45pm-2:40pm

Saturday, August 1                    12:45pm-2:40pm           

Sunday, August 2                      12:45pm-2:40pm

The Island Crest Way and East Mercer Way exits will remain open however drivers, bus riders and bicyclists should be expectant of heavy congestion during and around the closure times.

If you still plan to cross Lake Washington via I-90, plan to get to the bridge an hour ahead of the closure time. As an alternative, The SR 520 bridge will be open to traffic during closures.

For additional information, please visit the WSDOT site: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/07/28_SeaFairBlueAngels.htm

With the recent launch of the iPhone 3GS, applications to simplify your commute and transportation needs continue to pop up! Here’s a few of our favorites by mode or category, and be sure to let us know of other apps to add to the list!

• Walk: StepTrakLite accurately counts your steps like a pedometer, measures the duration and intensity of exercise, and integrates with MapMyWalk.com to record and map your routes.

• Bike: REI’s Bike Your Drive app instantly tracks your mileage, savings, CO2 offsets and more.

• Bus: Don’t like waiting for the bus anymore that you have to? The app from OneBusAway.org provides arrival info for every bus stop, not just timepoints.

• Rideshare: Carticipate is one of the few rideshare apps on a location aware mobile platform. Coordinate driving plans with friends, family, or co-workers, or rideshare by indicating where you are going and when. The app matches you to others going your way.

• Carshare: The Zipcar app will be available as a free download later this summer. Give Zipcar your email address to keep in the loop of the launch date. You can also watch a video simulation.

• Ferry: WSF Puget Sound Ferry Schedule is a must for anyone who regularly utilizes our state ferry system. Includes ferry timetables, up-to-the-minute alerts, key points of interest, and is always current!

• Carbon Emissions: Carbon TrackerTM easily allows you to calculate your carbon footprint from your commuting, vacation, and business trips. Simply use GPS feature while traveling to determine the length of your journey. Also set monthly max emission goals and monitor progress against your personal CO2 reduction targets.

• Traffic: The iPhone-Traffic app allows you to easily keep track of traffic conditions in the region with 21 traffic maps and 406 traffic cameras linked from WSDOT.

Bellevue employees − Fill out a Commuter Connection commute inquiry form to receive a customized list of transportation options that fit your work schedule and commute route! Choose to receive a transit plan, bike route, carpool and vanpool options, or all four!

So what’s this about free money? Anyone who submits a commute inquiry form will be entered into a $25 gift card monthly drawing, it’s that simple. No commitment required!

Here’s how:

• Visit the Commuter Connection store, located in the Rider Services Building at the Bellevue, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through September, to fill out and submit your commute inquiry form.

• Download your commute inquiry form and choose to mail or email the completed form.