Archive for the ‘Walk’ Category

In 2009 the City of Bellevue adopted a new Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan which identified over 400 projects that would make waking and biking in Bellevue safer and easier. These projects are prioritized and implemented as funding allows. The 2009 Ped-Bike Plan aims to provide transportation choices for those who can or wish to travel by foot or bicycle to destinations within their neighborhood, city, and the greater Eastside and region, improve health and fitness, and enhance recreational benefits, ensure that those in the community who cannot drive due to age, income or disability have mobility options, provide a safe and accessible street environment for all users, improve overall neighborhood livability, support and enhance public transit use, reduce air and noise pollution, energy use, and oil consumption, and support economic development.

In concurrence with the increase of better pedestrian and biking options around Bellevue, Choose Your Way Bellevue recently updated the Downtown Bellevue Pedestrian Guide Map. You may download and print a copy on the ChooseYourWayBellevue.org website, or stop by one of the following locations to pick up your own pocket-size hard copy:

• Commuter Connection (In the Rider Services Building at the Bellevue Transit Center; Monday-Friday, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
• Service First Desk at Bellevue City Hall (450 110th Avenue NE; Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
• Bellevue Downtown Association (500 108th Avenue NE; Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)

Other cities in our region are equally concerned with their pedestrian environments. Some are even launching safety campaigns. The Portland Bureau of Transportation released a short animated film about Oregon crosswalk laws. The film, “Every Corner Is A Crosswalk”, graphically illustrates responsibilities that both drivers and pedestrians have to make our roadway safer for everyone. Should the City of Bellevue or other organizations create PSA’s like the video done in Portland to further increase pedestrian safely? Check out the video below:

What do you think about Bellevue’s environment for pedestrians, specifically in downtown? Is it meeting the needs of the 45,000 workers and 6,500 residents currently circulating in the downtown core on a day-to-day basis? What pedestrian or bike friendly projects would you like to see move forward on the priority list? Comment on this post below and let us know your thoughts.

-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

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