What is the Low-Car Diet?
For one month, Zipcar is asking you to put down your keys and find out what the Zipcar way of life is all about. Folks from all over North American Zipcar cities will rise to the challenge, committing their keys and their consciences to being car free. They’ll be tweeting, taking photos, and logging miles biked, walked, and driven during their Low-Car Diet experience.

What do you have to do?
Aside from committing to parking your personal vehicle for one month and sharing all the details of your experience, Zipcar asks that you attend the opening and closing ceremonies, where you’ll get to meet your fellow Low-Car Dieters. You may also be asked to give interviews to the press or chronicle your experiences in more depth.

What’s in it for you?
Participants will get their first year Zipcar annual and application fee waived, and driving credit (along with a “car-free” survival kit filled with goodies from our sponsors) for the duration of the program.

So what do you say? Are you up for the Low-Car Diet?
Fill out Zipcar’s questionnaire here. 30 participants per city will be chosen. Low-Car Diet will begin September 14 and end on October 12. Good luck!

This is a no brainer! You’ll save money, reduce wear and tear on your car and spend less on gas during the promotion. You may even decide continue your new commute since sharing the ride is good for you and the environment!

Eligibility Details:
To be qualify for the prize drawings, participants must carpool or vanpool to work at least two days for a minimum of one week during the promotion period, and add their trips to the tracking calendar in RideshareOnline.com. 

Prize Details:

• The RideshareOnline.com grand prize winner will receive an Apple iPad!
• Five people will win three days, two nights, dining credits for two and a $50 gas card for travel expenses at one of the following luxury hotels.
  Grand Pacific Hotel, Victoria, BC. Includes high tea, and round trip transportation from Seattle.
  Coeur d’Alene Resort, Idaho. Includes a lake view room and $150 dining credit.
  Hotel Pan Pacific, Seattle. Includes $75 dining credit at Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar.
  Hotel Davenport, Spokane. Includes $50 dining credit and $100 spa credit.
  Hotel Murano, Tacoma. Includes tickets to the Museum of Glass and breakfast for two.
• PLUS – Each week, one lucky person will WIN $50 just for registering at RideshareOnline.com or running a ridematch during the promotion.

What are you waiting for? Register today and WIN! Visit www.RideshareOnline.com, or call 888-814-1300 to get started in a carpool or vanpool.

Flexible carpooling – also called slugging, casual carpooling, and instant carpooling – is a new option for commuters to get to and from where they need to go by sharing the ride with no prearrangement. This type of carpooling is popular and effective on certain corridors in the Bay Area and DC.

Each ride match will be automatically verified using Avego Corporations’s Shared Transportation system, a smartphone app that combines real-time ridematching with fully automated security features, real-time passenger information, and electronic micro-payments between rider and driver based on vehicle miles traveled.  The system creates an incentive for drivers to conduct at least 20 ride matches per month, resulting in 30,000 fewer trips over the 6-month duration of the pilot.

Avego will partner on the program with Nelson\Nygaard and the University of Washington, who will handle marketing and outreach, and pilot program evaluation, respectively.

For more information, including safety features and project goals, check out what WSDOT and Avego have to say about the pilot. You can also check out Avego in action by watching this video:

Do you think real-time ridesharing will be the answer to the community’s congestion? Is this a service you would use? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below!

Customers can set up prepaid accounts linked to a Good To Go! Pass that is installed in your vehicle or linked to your license plate.  Automatic replenishment allows you to never have to worry about running low in your account.  Simply link a bank account or credit card to the account and your Good To Go! account is automatically replenished when you run low. 

As you drive under electronic sensors on the east high rise of the 520 bridge, the toll will be automatically deducted from your prepaid account.  If the driver does not have a prepaid account, a photo will be taken of the vehicle’s license plate, and a bill will be sent in the mail to the vehicle’s registered owner.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has launched an extensive outreach campaign to educate drivers about electronic tolling on the SR 520 Bridge.  To reach as many bridge users as possible, WSDOT is on the radio, in newspapers, online and out in the community.  WSDOT is also meeting with community and business groups throughout the region to answer questions about the SR 520 Bridge electronic tolling program. 

The message is simple:  You can get ready for all-electronic tolling on the SR 520 Bridge by joining the interest list at www.goodtogo520.org, and be among the first to sign up for a Good to Go! Pass in January 2011.  Subscribers will also receive regular updates about rates, account options, special offers and customer service resources.

As the bridge tolling approaches, now is a great time to reconsider your commute options. Although exact toll fares have not yet been set, getting across the bridge other than driving alone (i.e. bus, carpool or vanpool) will drastically cut your overall tolling costs.

Have more questions? Contact WSDOT!

• Leave a message at: 1-888-G2G-WSDOT (1-888-424-9736).  A customer service representative will return your call as soon as possible.
• Email: goodtogotolling@wsdot.wa.gov
• Website: www.goodtogo520.org

In exactly one week (Friday July 23 – Sunday, July 25) over 500 artists and about 300,000 people will swarm into Bellevue’s city center to experience arts fair weekend. What many people don’t know is that the event actually comprises three separate fairs:  The Bellevue Arts Museum artsfair, The 6th Street Fair and Bellevue Festival of the Arts. Will you be attending this year? If so, do you have your travel plans set? Read on for Choose Your Way Bellevue’s arts fair weekend transportation tips below!

Enjoy the arts and crafts in downtown Bellevue without sitting in traffic! Let Metro or Sound Transit do part of the driving for you. Simply park your car at a nearby park & ride, and then take the bus to a stop near the fair. Or better yet, visit metro.kingcounty.gov to plan your entire trip by bus using the Regional Trip Planner.

Tips for riding transit to downtown Bellevue:

• Carry your exact fare in cash: Bus drivers do not have change. You may pay your fare, and the fare for others traveling with you, using any combination of paper and coin currency. Various transit passes (including ORCA) will also be accepted provided they have a value equal to or greater than the required fare.
• Free fares for children: Up to 4 children ages 5 and under always ride free with a paying adult on Sound Transit and King County Metro buses. On Sundays, up to 4 children ages 18 and under may ride for free on King County Metro routes with an adult paying a $2 fare.
• All buses are wheelchair accessible.
• Return trip to park and ride: Plan ahead by locating the bay where you will wait to catch a bus back to the park and ride, as well as determining when the last bus leaves to get you there. Schedules will be posted at each bay to assist you.

Suggested Park and Ride Options for Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25:
The information below is specific to Saturday/Sunday operations. If you plan to utilize a park & ride lot on Friday you can expect more frequent service, an increased fare and fewer available parking spaces due to heavy commuter use. All suggested routes serve the Bellevue Transit Center for incoming and outgoing trips. For specific bus schedules and more detailed information, please visit metro.kingcounty.gov and enter your preferred route number in the “Get a Timetable” box in the upper right corner. For Sound Transit routes (535, 550 and 560) visit soundtransit.org.

If you have additional questions about arts fair weekend and getting there, please post a comment to the blog below. We’ll do our best to provide an answer as soon as possible. Plan ahead and enjoy the art!

Learn about the project and detour routes here: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/SR515Interchange/closure.htm

WSDOT says that drivers can expect to see more traffic on the region’s highways this weekend, with peak travel times from noon to 9 p.m. Friday and early Saturday. Monday afternoon travel back into the Puget Sound area will peak just before noon and continue into late evening. Work at most construction projects around the state will move off the highway from noon Friday until Tuesday morning.

Also be aware that some of Bellevue’s downtown streets will be closed Sunday evening to accommodate Symetra Bellevue Family 4th event traffic. The street closures will start at 9:30 p.m. and will reopen at 10:05 p.m. Link to an article posted on the Seattle Times Bellevue Blog to learn more.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

Walk Downtown Bellevue
The first 1,000 Walk Downtown Bellevue participants will receive a free Starter Kit, including an Overlake Hospital pedometer, a walking map, a DavidBartonGym at The Bravern water bottle and a reusable BECU shopping bag.

Sign-up/Starter Kit Locations:

Track your steps and get walking tips at bellevuedowntown.com/walk.  The overall step count will be announced at the Live at Lunch Concert on September 2.  And be on the lookout for the “Walk Downtown Bellevue Prize Patrol”. They will be handing out prizes to walkers who show their pedometer at select concerts.  For a complete Live at Lunch concert schedule, visit bellevuedowntown.org/events/liveatlunch.

Bellwether 2010: Art Walk Bellevue
Take the walk and see the art! This year the Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition has gone outside its traditional boundaries of City Hall and Downtown Park to include art installments all throughout Downtown. The new three-quarter-mile “art walk” features 26 art works and begins at Bellevue City Hall. The route continues on the pedestrian corridor along NE 6th Street to Bellevue Way NE and finishes in Downtown Park. An opening celebration for the exhibit will be held on Saturday, June 26 at 6 p.m. at Bellevue City Hall. Pick up a Bellwether 2010 art guide at City Hall’s Service First Desk.

More info can be found at www.ci.bellevue.wa.us/bellwether2010.htm.

There are a variety of shower options in Downtown Bellevue to help with this smelly situation. If your building doesn’t have shower facilities, there are several Downtown fitness centers that offer discounted shower memberships to bike commuters:

Extreme Fitness Studios
Symetra Financial Center—777 108th Avenue NE
425-283-1971
admin.efsbellevue@gmail.com 

Shawn Casey Results Fitness
Pacific Plaza—155 108th Avenue NE 
425-451-8281 
shawn@shawncaseyinc.com

Skyline Tower Fitness Center
10900 NE 4th Street
425-462-2107

Need a place to park and store your bicycle?
Check out the following options to park and lock up your bike securely:

Commuter Connection:
Located at the Bellevue Transit Center, this facility offers secure bicycle parking, members only restroom facilities, and more. Membership fee: $50 for 6 months.

The following buildings have locked bicycle facilities for their tenants:
333 Building
City Center Plaza
Key Center
Symetra Financial Center
The Bravern
And over 60 bike racks available in other buildings and throughout downtown!

What about repairs?
The following shops offer quick fix repairs and overhauls:

Commuter Connection (Repair)
Bellevue Transit Center—108th Avenue NE & NE 6th Street
Repair Services available Tuesdays from 8:30 am – 5:00pm
http://www.ChooseYourWayBellevue.org/Commuter-Connection-Store

Gregg’s Cycle (Repair and Accessories)
105 Bellevue Way NE
Weekdays 10:00am – 8:00pm, Weekends 10:00am – 6:00pm
http://www.greggscycles.com/

Need help planning your bicycle commute route?
Check out these online resources to help you plan your bike route to work:

Google Bike:
www.maps.google.com/biking

Cascade Bicycle Club Commuter Messaging Board
www.cascade.org/Community/forum

<< Download a printable version of Downtown Bellevue’s Bicycle Resources >>

-Jordan

Calling all vanpoolers! I want to know about you!

Let me start us off: I have been vanpooling for a year and a half. Before the vanpool, I rode the bus to work. However I would have to drive 20 minutes to get to the park and ride. From there, it was a 15 minute bus ride. It really wasn’t that bad of a commute.

When one of my co-workers switched her hours to match my schedule, we decided to try to start our own vanpool. After a few months of recruitment, we had enough riders to begin. My entire vanpool fare ($101/month) is actually free because the company I work for provides employees with an ORCA Passport card, covering 100% of my vanpool fare. It’s great how much money I save. Now I drive 3 minutes to the van pick-up. I put gas in my car once per month, compared to once a week, when I was taking the bus. I also get to drive to work with some wonderful women. So what’s your vanpool story? Tell me about it by commenting below!

-Melissa

What causes traffic?
The easiest way to think about traffic is to imagine rice flowing through a funnel.  Like cars, pieces of rice are objects that act in unpredictable ways (unlike water).  If you pour rice into a funnel, the amount of the rice (cars) exceeds the capacity of the funnel opening (roads).  The rice gets denser, runs into other pieces trying to advance through the funnel and gets stuck- just like cars on the road get closer together (and sometimes collide).

Even when there doesn’t appear to be any problems, traffic can seem to come to a stop on its own and then clear up for no reason.  But there actually is a reason.  Traffic jams often act like waves.  When one car stops or significantly slows down, it requires the other cars behind it to all do the same.  Like a spring, the back end must wait for the front end to move again before it can.  When the front does move, each section must have some space to move before the very end, which must wait a significant time to move.  This is what happens with traffic jams you do not see.  Even after the front is moving again, it can be a long time before the back is able to do so.

Are late mergers cheaters?
Picture a three lane highway with a work zone.  You are in the far left lane and there is a large warning sign stating that your lane is closed ahead and traffic must merge right.  A “queue” forms in the lane and there is significant back up in the middle lane (where you will be merging).  At this point, people usually fall into two camps: 1) the early mergers- where people think that it is proper and polite to merge over at the first sign of needing to do so; and 2) late mergers- who stay in their lane until it actually ends and are forced to move over.  Early mergers view late mergers as “cheaters” that are trying to get ahead of all the drivers that “played by the rules.”  However, late merging actually leads to less traffic congestion.  

The problem with early merging is that it creates a number of disruption points where traffic is entering.  Vehicles do not follow a natural flow and create a series of small traffic jams that add up to a larger problem.  Late merging compresses hundreds of merge maneuvers into one single point- sort of like a zipper.  It maximizes use in both lanes, reduces the chance of collisions, and is less stressful to drivers.  In fact, studies show that when areas require late merging, there is a 15% improvement in traffic flow.  The lesson is clear: if you see that you have to merge, just stay in the lane you are in all the way to the merge point and take your turn.

Conclusion
So why don’t ants in a colony- with so many merging and going to various locations – get into traffic jams like people?  The answer, with many others, is answered in the book.  It is an entertaining read that everyone can relate to.  Pick it up and find out how your driving habits can help traffic for everyone!

-Michael

• A trip calendar to help you earn rewards and track your fuel and greenhouse gas reductions.

• Matching options to find a “Bike Buddy”.

• Expanded ridematching options to include one-time trips, personal trips, and special events.

• Bus options included with your match list (where Google Trip Planning is available).

Employers can also log in to manage their employee transportation programs, promote the benefits of their program to employees, and track and report the reduction in vehicle miles traveled and fuel and greenhouse gas reductions.

What do you think about the new RideshareOnline.com? Is there a new tool that you find most useful? Tell Choose Your Way Bellevue your reaction by posting a comment below!

-Jordan

To help me get ready to ride, I am planning to take part in the following events leading up to and during Bike to Work Month:

APRIL 6, COMMUTER CONNECTION FREE BICYCLE REPAIR DAY: I can take my bike into Commuter Connection, located at the Rider Services Center at the Bellevue Transit Center, on April 6^th from 8:30am to 5:00pm to receive small repairs such as a flat tire fix or a brake adjustment for free.

APRIL 28, INTRODUCTION TO BICYCLE COMMUTING CLASS: Cascade Bicycle Club and the City of Bellevue will be hosting a free Introduction to Bicycle Commuting Class on April 28, from noon to 1:00 p.m. in City Hall room 1E-113. At the class, I can learn the basics of bicycle commuting directly from the experts!

MAY 21, BIKE TO WORK DAY: The official Bike to Work Day is May 21^stand Choose Your Way Bellevue is hosting Downtown Bellevue’s Commute Station at Commuter Connection from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.  I can stop by on my bike for coffee, snacks and give-aways.

Any other bikers out there have suggestions of steps I can take to get started?  Any stories you want to share?

Check back in throughout April and May to see how I am doing.

-Caryn

This would mean Sound Transit trips within a county would be $2.50 for an adult fare and $3.50 if traveling to another county.  Because there would be no zone change over Lake Washington, Seattle to Eastside trips would be in one zone and thus remain $2.50.   Youth, senior and disabled fares would also change under the proposal. 

Current fares are heavily subsidized by government sales taxes and federal grants.  Fares cover approximately 20 percent of express bus operating costs and the increase will add $400,000 per month to Sound Transit’s budget. King County Metro increased fares by 25 cents per trip the past two years to offset decreased sales tax revenue. 

Sound Transit will have a public hearing on the increase in April. Readers: Do you support Sound Transit raising it’s fares to be able to continue to provide the same levels of transit service? Share your comments below.

-Michael

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

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

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

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

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