This summer - Explore your commute options and earn rewards!

CommuterConnection
A quarterly
publication for Downtown Bellevue employers and employees.
Volume 1, Edition 3, Third Quarter 2008
www.chooseyourwaybellevue.org
This summer - Explore your commute options and earn rewards!
Summer is the perfect time to try something new. With soaring gas prices and widespread concern about
our CO2 emissions, trying a new way to get to work, other than driving alone, is a great option! You’ll also
have the added benefit of decreased stress as well as savings on parking and car maintenance, all while
doing something healthy for the environment.
TransManage, the transportation service of the Bellevue
Downtown Association, will be at this summer’s Live
@ Lunch outdoor concert series rewarding those who
choose to explore their commute options. Bring your
lunch and visit the TransManage booth between noon
and 1:30 p.m. at one of the Live @ Lunch concerts (see
schedule below) to receive the following rewards:
DATE
Tuesday, July 8
Thursday, July 10
Tuesday, July 15
Thursday, July 17
Thursday, July 31
Thursday, August 7
Tuesday, August 12
Tuesday, August 19
Thursday, August 28
Tuesday, September 2
Thursday, September 4
Tuesday, September 9
Thursday, September 11
LOCATION
REWARD
Bellevue City Hall
Commute Advantage
Referral
(450 110th Avenue NE)
Bellevue Galleria
(500 106th Avenue NE)
Civica Office Commons
(205 108th Avenue NE)
Bellevue Galleria
(500 106th Avenue NE)
Bellevue Galleria
(500 106th Avenue NE)
Bellevue Galleria
(500 106th Avenue NE)
The Summit
(10885 NE 4th Street)
Skyline Tower
(10900 NE 4th Street)
Bellevue Galleria
(500 106th Avenue NE)
Skyline Tower
(10900 NE 4th Street)
Bellevue Galleria
(500 106th Avenue NE)
Skyline Tower
(10900 NE 4th Street)
Bellevue Galleria
(500 106th Avenue NE)
Rideshare
Rideshare
Commute Advantage
Referral
Commute Advantage
Referral
Rideshare Rewards
Become a new member of
RideshareOnline during select Live @
Lunch concerts to find potential carpool
and vanpool partners and automatically
earn a $10 reward!
Commute Advantage Referral Rewards
Earn up to $30 in rewards when you refer
your employer to participate in an
employee transportation benefits
consultation with the Commute
Advantage program.
To learn more about these programs see page 3!
Inside this edition...
Rideshare
Rideshare
*NEW FEATURE!
Transportation technology tip
Commute Advantage
Referral
*Commuter Connection storefront
Rideshare
*The Commute Doctor answers
Commute Advantage
Referral
grand opening
your commuting questions
Commute Advantage
Referral
Rideshare
Rideshare
Want to stay connected?
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www.chooseyourwaybellevue.org
Commuter Connection
COMMUTER
storefront opens in September S P O T L I G H T
Commute planning assistance and secure bicycle storage
are coming to the Rider Services Building at the Bellevue
Transit Center, and you’re invited to attend the grand
opening on Thursday, September 11, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Commuter Connection storefront is just one component
of the City’s Connect Downtown project, funded by a grant
from the Washington State Department of Transportation
and aimed at relieving congestion by reducing drive alone
travel. Thanks to a partnership with TransManage and the
Bicycle Alliance of Washington, commuters will now have
improved access to resources and knowledgeable staff.
Name: Martha Wiley
Employer: HDR
Round trip commute: Walks 1 mile or 25 minutes
With 24/7 cardkey access, bicyclists will find it easier than
ever before to start or end their trip in Downtown Bellevue
and connect with transit. Secure, indoor bike parking will
be available for members on one of 28 bicycle racks, as
well as wire mesh lockers for storing gear. On Wednesday
mornings the Bicycle Alliance will be available to assist
riders with planning their bike commute route, as well as
provide minor repairs. For more information on how to start
your membership please contact Every Day, the Bicycle
Alliance’s commute trip specialist, at:
[email protected].
TransManage staff will also be available weekdays during
lunch to interact with commuters. Employees can stop in
to pick up transit maps, pedestrian guides and information
on incentives for non-drive alone commuters. Staff
can also help plan your bus commute or assist you in
finding carpool or vanpool partners. Employers can even
come by to learn about providing commute benefits to
their employees. Commuter Connection really will offer
something for everyone.
“This space was originally designed to serve bicycle
commuters, and we’re thrilled that we’ll be able to realize
that vision and take it to the next level by offering resources
for vanpool, carpool and bus commuters too,” said Kate
Johnson, Associate Planner with the City of Bellevue’s
Transportation Department. “It’s a winning combination.”
We want to hear from you!
Commuter Connection gladly accepts your feedback.
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E-mail comments, questions and concerns to:
[email protected]
Community name: Surrey Downs
How long have you been walking to work? 2 years
What do you like best about your walking commute?
“So much of my day is spent inside my office so it’s great to
spend part of it outdoors. The rain doesn’t bother me! My
walk isn’t too long either and it’s good exercise if you do it
everyday.”
Have you seen any personal benefits? “Definitely
exercise! As a result I’m also able to manage stress better,
especially by avoiding a driving commute.”
Do you receive any help from your employer? “HDR
gives all employees a FlexPass, so if I have a meeting at
our Seattle office I can hop on the 550 downtown for free.
Our building (City Center Bellevue) also gives 3 free park
days per month to non-drive alone commuters, so I use
those when I have a doctor’s appointment.”
Aside from being able to walk to work, what else do
you like about working where you live? “All the essential
services are within walking distance - the grocery store, the
library, and my personal favorite, Baskin Robbins.”
What’s your favorite lunchtime activity in Downtown
Bellevue? “If I have time I like to stroll down the pedestrian
corridor that follows along NE 6th street toward the mall. I
really enjoy walking on a quieter street without traffic so I
can take in the scenery.”
If you could improve one thing about the pedestrian
experience in Downtown Bellevue, what would it be?
“The cross-walk timing on some of the street signals where
there is noticeable minor and major lag.”
Connect Downtown
The City of Bellevue’s Growth and Transportation Efficiency Center
(GTEC) plan is now called Connect Downtown. The 2008-2011
Connect Downtown plan guides the city’s work to make non-solo
driving modes easier and more economical.
For information go to: http://www.bellevuewa.gov/gtec.htm
Did you Share Your Ride?
On April 30th over 50 people from the Seattle and
Shoreline areas who commute to Downtown Bellevue
gathered at One Bellevue Center for more than a few
reasons: free lunch, a chance to win up to $500 in
Bellevue Collection gift cards, but most importantly, to
find a rideshare partner.
TransManage, the transportation service of the Bellevue
Downtown Association, and King County Metro’s
Rideshare Operations teamed up to host Share Your Ride,
a networking event for Downtown Bellevue employees to
meet prospective carpool and vanpool partners.
Attendees were seated with others from their home zip
code and with the assistance of TransManage and Metro
staff, chatted about their ridesharing options, work
schedule flexibility and possible commute routes.
If you missed out on the first Share Your Ride event,
register at www.RideshareOnline.com to get your
rideshare match list or even better, register with
TransManage at this summer’s Live @ Lunch outdoor
concert series (see schedule on page 1) to automatically
receive a $10 reward!
Share Your Ride will bring together south-end commuters
from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 20 at the
Symetra Financial Center Conference Room. North-end
commuters are invited from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday,
September 17. RSVP for either date by sending your
name, employer, work schedule and home zip code to
[email protected]. Space is limited. Stay
tuned for more details about these exciting events!
100
cyclists passed through the
Downtown Bellevue Commute Station at
the Bellevue Galleria - nearly double
from last year! Thanks to all who
stopped by and lended your support to
a very successful Bike to Work day!
Dear Commute Doctor,
I’ve been hearing about the Wilburton
Tunnel demolition coming this
summer. Can you tell me the exact
dates and times the roadways will be
affected so that I can plan my commute accordingly? Thanks!
-Concerned Commuter
Dear Concerned Commuter,
The Wilburton Tunnel demolition will allow for the expansion of
two additional southbound lanes on I-405, in order to reduce
congestion in and out of Downtown Bellevue. The southbound
closures will take place from 11 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m.
Monday on the following weekends: August 8 to 11, August
15 to 18 and August 22 to 25.
Drivers are encouraged to use alternative transportation
modes such as transit or carpool to help alleviate congestion
on the detour routes. You can still travel southbound on
I-405 by utilizing the recommended detour through Bellevue:
As you are driving south on I-405, take the southbound
off-ramp to SE 8th Street, to 112th Avenue SE, to
Bellevue Way SE, to eastbound I-90 and then connect
with southbound I-405 again. For more information on the
Wilburton Tunnel demolition and detour maps visit:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/112thAvetoSE8th.
Have a burning commute question?
Consult the Commute Doctor!
Submit your Commute Doctor questions to:
[email protected]
Get benefits, earn rewards
With rising gas prices and construction on I-405, Downtown
Bellevue workers and employers are looking for ways to
reduce the cost and stress of commuting.
The Commute Advantage program provides free consultation
services to Downtown Bellevue employers to learn more
about transportation benefits and resources available to
their employees. Commute Advantage options include
transit passes, pre-tax programs, carpool and commuter van
incentives, free commute planning assistance and much
more.
Downtown Bellevue commuters can help their employer learn
more about the Commute Advantage program and earn up
to $30 in rewards by referring their benefits coordinator to
participate in a free consultation. Here’s how:
1. Earn a $5 gift card when you request Commute
Advantage information from TransManage.
2. Give the information to your employer and encourage
them to schedule a free consultation with TransManage.
3. Earn a $25 gift card after your employer meets with
TransManage.
Stop by the TransManage booth at this summer’s Live @
Lunch series (see schedule on page 1) to learn more about
the Commute Advantage and to start receiving rewards for
getting your boss on board!
For more information, contact TransManage at:
425-453-0644 or [email protected]
Some restrictions apply.
Transportation technology tip
Did you ever wish your iPod was good for more than just tuning out on your bus ride home? Well now it is! You can now
download custom Metro bus schedules to your iPod. We have your step by step guide:
1. Connect your iPod to your computer and open iTunes. Click the summary tab and
select “Enable Disk Use”.
2. Visit Metro’s Point to Point Trip Planner (http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov/cgi-bin/
p2p_page.pl) and select two stops and a time range to see all arrival and departure times. (Note: Stops must be on the same bus line; this option does not allow transfers)
or
Visit Metro’s Commuter Trip Planner (http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov/cgi-bin/ ctp_page.pl) and select two stops as well as arrival and departure times to see
trip options arriving 15 minute intervals before and after your selected times.
3. Once you’ve created your schedule, right click on “.TXT” to save to your computer. Use Windows Explorer or Macintosh Finder to drag the text file to your iPod.
4. To view your schedule on the iPod, select Extras > Notes.
For more information on Metro’s Trip Planner, visit http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov/. For more information on saving files
to your iPod, visit http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93951.
Stay tuned for our next Transportation Technology Tip in the fall issue of CommuterConnection.
Goodbye traffic, aloha beaches!
Sharing your car commute always makes you a winner with
lower fuel cost, frustration and vehicle maintenance. This
summer you can also rideshare and win a Hawaiian vacation
for two at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki. Just log on
to www.RideshareOnline.com and start or join a carpool,
vanpool or vanshare between August 4 and September 12,
2008.
The 2nd prize is a weekend getaway for two to Suncadia
Resort in sunny Roslyn. Third prize is a $500 MasterCard gift
card to reward yourself for ridesharing.
Absolutely everyone registered in RideshareOnline.com
can be a weekly winner too. There will be a weekly drawing
among all RideshareOnline.com registrants to win a $100
MasterCard gift card.
The Washington State Rideshare Organization and your local
transit agency are pleased to sponsor this Summer Rideshare
Promotion and to assist you each day in choosing commute
alternatives.
Your Commute Resources
Bicycle Alliance of Washington
(206) 224-9252
[email protected]
www.bicyclealliance.org
Choose Your Way Bellevue
www.chooseyourwaybellevue.org
City of Bellevue Transportation Department
(425) 452-4158
www.bellevuewa.gov/transportation.htm
FlexPass
(425) 453-0644
[email protected]
King County Metro
Rider Information: (206) 553-3000
Bus Time: (206) BUS-TIME
http://transit.metrokc.gov
King County Metro Rideshare Operations
(206) 625-4500
[email protected]
www.rideshareonline.com
Sound Transit
(206) 398-5000
http://www.soundtransit.org
[email protected]
TransManage
(425) 990-3097
[email protected]
www.bellevuedowntown.org/transmanage