Posted Jan. 4, 2012
New Yakima-Ellensburg transit service quickly becoming the talk of two towns
Passengers prepare to board the Yakima-Ellensburg Commuter, a new transit service connecting the two cities. |
One rider is heading to the hospital for her daily outpatient appointment, thankful that her husband doesn’t have to take time off from work to drive her there. Another is a soldier in the 53rd Ordnance Company, on his way to the training and firing center just outside Selah. Behind him sit two students - one enrolled at Perry Technical College, the other at Yakima Valley Community College, both making their way home after class. The return trip will deliver three students and two professors to the Central Washington University campus. And there’s the rider that just booked a dialysis appointment - he’d been waitlisted at his regular doctor’s office in Ellensburg, but can get in today at a Yakima clinic.
These are just a few of the people enjoying a new option that wasn’t available a month ago, thanks to a brand new commuter transit service between Yakima and Ellensburg. The service is fast becoming a reliable option, meeting the needs of many in two communities not previously connected by public transportation.
On November 25,
Yakima Transit and
HopeSource unveiled the Yakima Ellensburg Commuter, filling an essential transportation need for both communities. Making eight round trips daily, the service makes
five stops between the Yakima airport and the Central Washington campus. According to Yakima Transit Manager Ken Mehin, students and faculty at the three colleges between the two cities favor the morning and late afternoon runs; shoppers shuttling between towns prefer the midday service.
But, Mehin adds, ride along on a given day and you’re likely to share the trip with a number of different people on their way to a wide range of personal and professional business. "As word has spread of the service, the community hasn’t just taken notice," says Mehin, "they’ve responded." In fact, ridership has gone up so fast that Yakima Transit will purchase new, larger vehicles in early 2012 to accommodate the increasing demand.
Because Yakima Transit’s authority extends just past its city limits, so too does its service area. But a strong public-private partnership with HopeSource allowed the idea to move forward. With HopeSource providing drivers and route operation and Yakima Transit providing the vehicles - and with the help of local, state and federal grant funding and investments - the service took flight. Or more accurately, it took to the road.
That level of partnership is one of the things that makes this endeavor so distinct, says HopeSource project manager Geoff Crump. The broad, cooperative approach fostered by a local transit agency and a non-profit organization has caught on fast. “We’re hearing from our drivers almost every day about passengers saying how grateful they are for this service. It means a lot to both of these communities.”
WSDOT’s
public transportation grants help provide access, mobility and independence to Washington residents. Made possible by state and federal funds, these grants provide transit services within and between cities, purchase new buses and other equipment, provide public transportation service for the elderly and people with disabilities, and improve public transportation in and between rural communities.
We’re taking a closer look at sustainability and how it’s a part of everything we do. If you have a story idea for us, we'd love to hear it. Send your ideas to Noel.Brady@wsdot.wa.gov .
Posted Nov. 22, 2011
This 1-year-old roundabout on SR 548 near Kickerville in Whatcom County was a sustainable solution that eased traffic through this industrial area.
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Believe it or not, driving in circles can actually save fuel and reduce harmful emissions. Though it may sound counterintuitive, roundabouts actually have many environmental benefits – on top of all their safety benefits – that should put them at the top any intersection improvement list.
The safety benefits behind roundabouts are jaw dropping - reducing deaths by 90 percent, injuries by 76 percent and all crashes by 40 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety . But did you know that the efficiency and emissions statistics behind roundabouts are equally impressive?
The emissions and gas-savings stats have been less publicized, but they’re no less stunning from a sustainable transportation standpoint. In a day and age when we’re counting every last pound of greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere, these numbers will become even more important in future projects.
A Kansas State University study found that replacing four-way stops with roundabouts reduced carbon monoxide emissions by 38-45 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by 55-61 percent. Nitrogen oxides dropped 44-51 percent, and hydrocarbons fell 62-68 percent.
The number and size of vehicles plays a big role in emissions, says Brian Walsh, WSDOT state traffic design and operations engineer.
“Roundabouts can have even greater environmental benefits at busier intersections,” Walsh said. “When more vehicles use the roundabout, especially large vehicles like semis, the greater the benefits.”
Other studies show that when roundabouts replace intersections with or without signals, there’s a 30 percent reduction in carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides and a 30 percent drop in fuel consumption.
“The bulk of emissions don’t come from idling,” said Walsh. “Every time we accelerate from that stop sign or red light, that’s when we really pump the emissions into the atmosphere.”
In fall 2005, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety studied 10 intersections where traffic signals were built instead of roundabouts. The study estimated vehicle delays and fuel consumption at the signaled intersections and then compared the results to what they would have been if roundabouts had been built instead. For those 10 intersections, roundabouts would have:
- Reduced delays by 62-74 percent, saving 325,000 hours (37 years) of motorists’ time annually.
- Decreased fuel consumption by about 235,000 gallons per year, for an annual savings of $587,000 (assuming an average cost of $2.50 per gallon of regular gas).
- Caused fewer emissions and pollutants to be released into the atmosphere.
Installing signals has been common practice for the last seven decades all across the country. In the last three decades, signals became so prevalent that national requirements were established to help slow down their unsustainable proliferation and the unnecessary traffic delays.
Even with national standards in place, the systemic pattern of simply installing signals has proven difficult to overcome because of a combination of engineering training and public perception.
“Many drivers believe traffic signals are the better choice simply because that’s what they’re used to,” said Dina Swires, WSDOT traffic engineer. “But from safety, societal cost and environmental standpoints, the roundabout wins hands down. The roundabout is a viable option that needs to be considered for projects.”
Proponents are not pushing for roundabouts everywhere; they just want them considered as a serious option and not easily dismissed for fear of public dismay.
According to Walsh, “It’s important to evaluate all options and select the safest, most efficient and sustainable one. And if that’s a roundabout, then so be it. We don’t want future generations inheriting infrastructure – like signals – that increasingly cost more money yet deliver less value than a more sustainable choice.”
The annual cost to run and maintain a signal is assumed to be about $8,000 a year. That’s $5,000 for basic electricity and routine signal maintenance and $3,000 to retime and optimize for traffic. Plus, signals get a rebuilt after 20 years – new guts and software – which costs about 30 percent of the initial cost. There are none of these costs when you build and maintain a roundabout.
“How often do you see signals getting removed?” asked Walsh. “They rarely get removed and are around for quite a while. The annual costs really add up.”
In the last four years, 14 signals have been removed and replaced with roundabouts at intersections in Washington. Today, there are 220 roundabouts total across the state, and 58 of those are on state highways.
It’s the safety stats alone that have usually propelled projects through the planning and design phases and into construction. In the years to come, though, the environment will not take a back seat. More sustainable options will eventually help get projects approved for construction. And roundabouts deliver sustainable results.
“If roundabouts reduce pollutants and save gas, why would anyone prefer to sit and wait at stoplight or stop sign?” said Chris Damitio, WSDOT project engineer.
Posted Nov. 22, 2011
This chunk of Seattle viaduct history sold on eBay for $16.50, but we have better ideas for recycling.
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Demolition started Oct. 27 on the southern mile of Seattle's Alaskan Way Viadcut , which will be replaced by the SR 99 Tunnel in 2015. |
Turns out there is more than one way to recycle a 60-year-old viaduct.
When WSDOT razed the southern portion of the Alaskan Way Viaduct last month, several shrewd spectators turned to eBay to recycle their pieces of Seattle history into cold hard cash. One chunk of concrete went for at least $16.50, minus shipping.
WSDOT and viaduct contractor Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP) saw opportunity in recycling too; they turned viaduct rubble into cold hard building materials. WSDOT transportation engineer Amjad Omar said nearly 100 percent of the old concrete and rebar from this portion of the viaduct in Seattle will be recycled and reused.
From October’s demolition alone – about 25 percent of the total viaduct structure – crews hauled 3,500 truckloads of concrete rubble to Terminal 25. There, the concrete was crushed to be reused for the new SR 99 Tunnel that will replace the viaduct, and the rebar is being prepared for transfer to a local recycler.
“Recycling is a big plus for everybody,” Omar said. Not only does it save WSDOT on the cost of materials, but it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions from hauling rubble to a far-off disposal site, producing new materials and hauling it to the work site. Recycling old bridges and other transportation structure is nothing new at WSDOT. Last spring we recycled 100 percent of the NE 12th Street Bridge that spanned I-405 in Bellevue.
The state does not require recycling in bridge demolition, but it is becoming the norm as the market for recycled materials grows. Our engineers routinely write construction specifications to ease the future recycling of materials.
We’re taking a closer look at sustainability and how it’s a part of everything we do. If you have a story idea for us, we'd love to hear it. Send your ideas to Noel.Brady@wsdot.wa.gov .
Posted Nov. 17, 2011 Grape Line celebrates 4 years of transit service
WALLA WALLA – Some things just get better with age. Take the Grape Line – a reliable way to travel the so-called Napa Valley of Washington.
On Friday, Nov. 18, the Grape Line marks its fourth anniversary as a popular choice that goes well with anything from Walla Walla to Pasco. Ridership continues to grow, from 448 passengers in 2007 to more than 8,800 passengers in 2010. To date, the Grape Line has served more than 27,700 passengers.
The Grape Line is the premier intercity bus line of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Travel Washington program. Since launching in November 2007, the Grape Line has provided south central Washington with an affordable and accessible travel option.
Each of the line’s 20-passenger buses, operated under contract by the Central Washington Airporter, is equipped with high-back reclining passenger seats, a wheelchair lift, two wheelchair stations, a bike rack for two bicycles and luggage storage areas. Grape Line buses make three round trips daily between Walla Walla and Pasco with connections to Greyhound, Amtrak, Ben Franklin Transit, Valley Transit and Pasco Airport.
Since the Grape Line began service, Travel Washington has grown to include four intercity bus lines across the state, each named for a defining local resource – the Apple Line running Omak-Ellensburg; the Gold Line on the Kettle Falls-Spokane run; and the Dungeness Line traveling the Port Angeles-Seattle route.
Posted Nov. 10, 2011
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Nearly $40 million in public transportation grants will provide vital connections for people who live in rural areas or have special needs. WSDOT recently awarded the grants to 124 projects across Washington, bringing some good news to communities facing tough cuts in the state budget.
The grants improve public transportation in rural communities, connecting people to medical centers and major transit hubs. The money will help purchase new buses and other equipment and provide transit services for seniors and people with disabilities. Administering grants such as these is an important role for WSDOT’s Public Transportation Division .
One grant provides $264,000 to help HopeSource, a nonprofit social service agency in partnership with Yakima Transit, add a new bus route between Ellensburg and Yakima. It will provide a needed connection for rural residents to jobs and colleges, such as Central Washington University. Service begins later in November with eight roundtrips each weekday.
Grant awards for the 2011-2013 biennium also help fund a dozen projects that provide and improve access to public transportation for Native American tribes across the state.
San Juan County received nearly $127,000 in grant funding to purchase a new ADA-accessible minivan and two ADA-accessible minibuses. The vehicles will provide access for the islands’ seniors and people with disabilities.
Grant recipients competed for state and Federal Transit Administration funds through WSDOT's consolidated grant program. State funds of about $13.7 million will be matched with $25.8 million in federal funds.
See the complete list of grant-recipient projects.
Posted Nov. 1, 2011
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The Specs:
Eaton Pow-R-Station DC Quick Charger
Who can use the new DC Quick Charger? - Future WSDOT fleet electric vehicles
- Business visitor vehicles
- Employee commuter vehicles
- Not available for public use.
- Public EV charging locations available on the Web .
What vehicles are compatible with DC Quick Charger?
Plug-in, all-electrics with fast-charging capability, including Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i and others coming soon.
What other agencies are going electric in Washington?
This year agencies purchased 48 Nissan Leafs through a state contract. King County Metro bought 20 of those for Metropool , the nation’s first all-electric car-sharing program. State departments of Commerce, Ecology and Enterprise Services have Level 2 electric vehicle charging available for employees in Olympia.
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WSDOT brings Quick Charge for electric vehicles to Capitol Campus
OLYMPIA – There’s a new way for employees and visitors to say “fill’er-up” at our headquarters – “Charge it!”
Always ahead of the curve when it comes to transportation, WSDOT Tuesday unveiled the first DC Quick Charger for electric vehicles on the Capitol Campus in Olympia. It’s a sign of new transportation infrastructure to come and a glimpse of how you might be refueling your ride in the not-so-distant future.
Forget all you think you know about electric vehicles, this refrigerator-sized “wall socket” can juice your Nissan Leaf and other plug-ins, 0-80 percent charged, in less than 30 minutes. Typical Level 2 chargers – there are four on campus – take four to six hours. Great for the environment, yes, but not so good for quick getaways.
“We did this project because it’s the future of sustainable transportation,” said project manager Tony Trask, senior planner for WSDOT facilities. “WSDOT visitors who are driving electric vehicles can’t wait all day for a regular recharge, they need a quick charge so they can get back on the road.”
It’s about walking the walk – not just talking the talk. WSDOT is leading the transportation industry with electric vehicle charging infrastructure from Canada to Oregon with the state’s Electric Highways project, and we’re leading the nation toward cleaner-burning, more efficient travel with the West Coast Green Highway partnership.
Someday a seamless network of charging stations along Interstate 5 will make road trips from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Baja, Mexico, as simple as plugging in your hair dryer. No extension cord required.
“Bill Ford (recently-retired assistant secretary for administrative operations) was the driving force behind this (new charger),” said facilities operations manager Larry Dittloff. “He understood that we need to be in the forefront of transportation innovations.”
The future of transportation – and life on this planet, some might argue – depends on renewable energy for transportation, which is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas in the state and the nation. Infrastructure for charging the market-fresh electric cars might be the biggest hurdle for drivers and car manufacturers and dealers to make the switch, so we’re starting the groundwork now. Who knows? You, too, could be turning over a new Leaf soon.
Posted Nov. 1, 2011
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Office Depot's 2011 award for "Special Recognition for Recycled Paper Purchasing" was presented in late October to WSDOT's Purchasing and Materials Management Office. |
Award spotlights WSDOT purchasing office for sustainable savings
Sustainable transportation doesn’t stop at reducing vehicle emissions on the roads and bridges WSDOT operates. It reaches all the way into the back office, where we make decisions, draft plans and schedule teleconferences.
WSDOT’s Purchasing and Materials Management Office recently attracted attention for its business-as-usual approach to sustainable purchasing. It’s nothing new; it’s another way WSDOT supports the economy and stays efficient, effective and healthy for communities and the environment. But we’ll accept the award, thank you very much.
Office Depot, the state’s contract vendor for office supplies, picked WSDOT for “Special Recognition for Recycled Paper Purchasing.” In fact, 96 percent of the paper we bought in the last fiscal year was 100 percent post-consumer recycled. WSDOT was the first state agency in Washington to adopt a policy for using recycled paper.
Presented late October at the state Department of Enterprise Services’ Annual Training and Trade Show in Tacoma, the recognition also commended strategies in the purchasing office to conserve, reduce and reuse office supplies and equipment – all part of the office’s sustainability program that started more than a decade ago.
The purchasing office also reduces carbon emissions from deliveries by consolidating orders. At last count, less than 3 percent of our agency’s office purchases were small orders less than $50, the lowest rate for an agency in the state. Procurement and Materials Manager Dave Davis said his statewide team of supply-management professionals helped offices consolidate their orders to reach the current average amount of $250 per order. The entire state government average is $162.
They didn’t stop there. Davis’ office is testing Office Depot’s Green Smart Cart initiative. Among other ways that make buying green easier and, well, greener, it drastically reduces the packaging on orders by delivering off-the-shelf products in recycled paper bags only. Delivery drivers carry the bagged merchandise in reusable plastic crates called totes.
“Sustainability is part of my strategic vision,” Davis said. “We find efficient ways to redistribute surplus furniture and equipment instead of sending it into landfill. We train purchasers throughout the agency how to buy green and manage a sustainable office.
“The things we don’t buy are just as important to our sustainability program as the things we do.”
We’re taking a closer look at sustainability and how it’s a part of everything we do. If you have a story idea for us, we'd love to hear it. Send your ideas to Noel.Brady@wsdot.wa.gov .
Posted Oct. 28, 2011 3rd award in 3 years and still getting greener
WSDOT's vehicle and equipment fleet just climbed seven levels closer to
being the biggest loser – in fuel consumption and emissions, that is. WSDOT recently took home a Government Green Fleet Award for the third year in a row.
 
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WSDOT's fleet includes hybrid Prius passenger cars for employees traveling between offices and work sites, as well as many of the maintenance and work vehicles and equipment you see on state roads. |
Changing the way we do business from the office to the road and the work site seems to be paying off. At the 2011 Green Fleet Awards in Grapevine, Texas, on Oct. 4, WSDOT’s Transportation Equipment Fund (TEF) fleet of highway maintenance vehicles and equipment came in 31st, a rewarding hop from last year’s ranking of 38 of the 40 most sustainable and efficient government fleets in North America.
Government Fleet magazine conducts the annual awards to recognize federal, state, and local government fleet management for advancements in environmental sustainability, including:
- fleet composition (conventional fuel versus hybrid, electric and/or alternative fuel vehicles)
- use of renewable and alternative fuels
- planning for a sustainable future
From hybrids to backhoes, TEF manages 4,800 vehicles and 10,000 pieces of supporting equipment.
TEF Fleet Administrator Greg Hansen said WSDOT conserves fuel and reduces fleet emissions by operating and maintaining fleet vehicles and equipment for efficiency. The agency saves more than 14,500 gallons of motor oil each year through effective maintenance that are scheduled by fuel usage rather than time. We Save gas by installing gear-shift lights in heavy trucks that let our drivers know when it’s the best time to shift gears for the most efficient fuel use and best vehicle performance.
For fiscal years 2008 to 2010 WSDOT:
- Reduced fuel consumption by 10 percent (by 2.5 percent in 2011, due to added roadwork from a prolonged winter)
- Used 50 percent more biofuel (80 percent in 2011)
- Purchased 43 percent more hybrid vehicles
- Cut passenger-vehicle inventory by 9 percent
- Reduced employee-owned vehicle miles travelled for work by 27 percent (34 percent in 2011)
- Drafted sustainability plan to minimize emissions, cut fuel consumption and make the fleet even more efficient
WSDOT was recognized for managing a mixed fleet that includes conventional, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, and was honored for using alternative fuels and planning for a sustainable future. In fact, ours was one of the largest and most diverse fleets to make the cut and one of just two state fleets among the 40 winners.
In June our fleet also was named one of the “ 100 Best Fleets in North America ” at the national Fleet Conference. TEF was one of only four state fleets to make the list, and it came in 83rd out of 38,000 eligible public fleets to make Government Fleet magazine’s top 100.
Posted Oct. 11, 2011
Commute Smart Awards celebrates ideas for environment, traffic and economy
State Transportation Secretary Paula
Hammond and Governor's Chief of Staff Marty Loesch present CTR Board Vice President Ted Horobiowski with the Commute Smart Legacy Award.
See more photos on Flickr.
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For two decades the unsung heroes of smart commuting have been the employers, employee transportation coordinators (ETC) and communities that put efficient transportation choices within reach for more than 810,000 commuters across the state.
Some of the most dedicated advocates for efficient commuting received the recognition they deserve at the Governor's Mansion in Olympia Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the 2011 Governor’s Commute Smart Awards.
Among the recipients of this year’s awards, Todd Badham and Nicole Mulhausen, ETCs at the University of Puget Sound, received the Commute Smart ETC Leadership Award for their creative initiative that fostered a sustainable transportation culture at the university. Among other achievements, they worked with Zipcar to bring car sharing to Tacoma.
Leaders like Badham and Mulhausen aren't just saving commuters money with innovative trip-reduction programs; they're also helping commuters curb air pollution, conserve fuel and ease traffic congestion.
State Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond, WSDOT's Public Transportation Division Director Brian Lagerberg and Gov. Gregoire's Chief of Staff Marty Loesch joined award winners to celebrate 20 years of smart commuting through workplace programs that empower commuters to reduce their driving by about 170 million vehicle miles traveled per year.
“When more people choose to join a carpool or vanpool, ride bikes or hop on a bus, everyone wins with lower greenhouse gas emissions, less fuel consumption and better traffic flow,” Lagerberg said. “These award winners and nominees make a difference.”
The awards spotlight the latest examples of how commute trip reduction (CTR) improves commutes, as well as the environment and energy efficiency. The key is partnership; for every taxpayer dollar that goes to these programs, businesses invest $18.
Passed by the state Legislature in 1991, the Commute Trip Reduction Law calls on employers to encourage their workers to choose transportation options that reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
At the awards ceremony, The Downtown Transportation Alliance (DTA) of Seattle took high honors, as well, with the Commute Smart Legacy Award for going above and beyond the CTR Law. This public-private partnership of the Downtown Seattle Association, King County Metro and the Seattle Department of Transportation leveraged their resources to form Commute Seattle, a nonprofit organization that brings the benefits of CTR to workplaces not required by law to offer the program to employees. The partnership surpassed its goal of reducing drive-alone trips by 9 percent four years ahead of schedule.
Special recognition at this year’s awards went to a long-time stalwart for efficient commuting. Recipient of this year's Commute Smart Legacy Award, Ted Horobiowski has served on the state Commute Trip Reduction Board since it began, today serving as vice president.
Horobiowski and the rest of this year's award winners are the heart and soul of CTR, helping to make the transportation system work better for everyone.
Vehicle emissions account for nearly half the greenhouse gas (GHG) released in our state. By driving 154 million fewer vehicle miles since 2007, CTR participants have prevented about 69,000 metric tons of GHG from entering the atmosphere each year. That's the weight of eight Space Needles.
2011 Commute Smart Award Winners
CTR-affected/employers/worksites Voluntary employers/worksites
- City of Bellingham
- City of Tumwater
- Esterline Control Systems, Korry Electronics, Everett
- Northwest Orthopedic Specialists, Spokane
- Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Bremerton
- Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community
- Wells Fargo Bank – Vancouver Collection Center
- Ted Horobiowski, CTR Board vice president
- The Downtown Transportation Alliance (DTA)
Ron Kusler, Commute Options Specialist, Spokane County
Ron Kusler, Commute Options Specialist, Spokane County
- A-1 Builders and Adaptations Design Studio, Bellingham
- Gordon Thomas Honeywell, Tacoma
- Catherine Bowden - Avista Corporation, Spokane
- Bob Eden and Joannie Foltz - Snohomish County PUD
- Annette Gavette - Washington State Department of Licensing, Olympia
- Karen Hollingsworth - Bellingham Cold Storage
- Microsoft Commute Team: Lynn Frosch, Jeff Aumell, Daniel Heldring, Fred Martin, Randall Williams, Wendy Scholtz - Microsoft Corporation, Redmond
- Anne Marie Murphy - Veteran’s Administration Medical Center, Vancouver Campus
- Lee Reyes - Kitsap County
- Amgen Inc., Bothell Campus
- Todd Badham and Nicole Mulhausen - University of Puget Sound
COUPEVILLE – If you find yourself passing through the small town of Coupeville on Whidbey Island, try not to stare when you see someone picking flowers or counting mountain peaks on their way to work. And don’t be startled if a lady riding an odd, yellow bicycle stops and says, “...What a wonderful morning.”
Funny thing about the people of Coupeville – they seem to actually enjoy their daily commutes, even on Mondays. And ever since the town launched a unique community-based trip reduction program to help curb greenhouse gas emissions a year ago, witnesses have reported spotting folks in Coupeville smiling on their way work.
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Mike Etzell takes a bus for part of his commute to work at Island County Human Services. |
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Coupeville dentist Julie Grove commutes to work on her electric bicycle. |
Coupeville's year-1 results
Population: 1,800
New RideshareOnline.com users in Coupeville: 161
Recorded commute trips: By bus: 8,034 By carpool: 2,090 By vanpool: 322 Walking: 1,156 Bicycling: 1,100
Gasoline saved:
39,493 gallons
CO2 emissions reduced: 756,950 pounds
Total monetary savings: $281,644
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More on the Web Visit our RideshareOnline program page to learn more about this Web-based transportation choices tool, or go to RideshareOnline.com to get started today. For more information about WSDOT’s efforts in reducing greenhouse gas, visit our sustainable transportation page. Find out what else the Sustainable Whidbey Coalition is working on. |
“Mostly I use my leg power, but when I need a boost on the big hills I can use the electric power,” Coupeville Dentist Julie Grove is happy to tell just about anybody who asks about her electric bicycle, which she rides to work four days a week.
“I’m a busy guy with a growing family, and time to get a bit of exercise is hard to fit in,” says Mike Etzell, who combines a half-mile walk with a bus ride for his daily commute to Island County Human Services. “I call it the best commute around. I can see the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Rainer on a good day.”
Smiling Coupevillians are catching the bus, sharing a ride, working at home instead of the office, walking and biking, perhaps more than ever before. They’re raising the bar for trip reduction in Island County.
A year after this town with a population of 1,800 launched its “community trip reduction” program, more than 160 people – 9 percent of the town – have signed up on RideshareOnline.com, and they are finding it’s easier than they thought to leave their cars at home and save a whopping 39,493 gallons of gas and more than $281,600 in commute costs.
“The savings in gasoline alone can be pretty significant,” said Cathy d'Almeida, the town’s Sustainable Community Coordinator.
Back in July of 2008 the town hired d’Almeida to find new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect Coupeville’s gorgeous natural setting. D’Almeida rolled up her sleeves and joined forces with Sustainable Whidbey Coalition ; Island Transit; local employers, such as Island County and Whidbey General Hospital; the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT); and RideshareOnline.com to develop a plan that would target the biggest source of greenhouse gas – transportation.
“Coupeville has definitely been a leader in the island’s sustainability movement,” said Donna Keeler, an Island County transportation planner. “Other jurisdictions were relying on volunteers to make a difference.” Following Coupeville’s lead, the county obtained a health grant to implement a similar incentive program countywide. Every month four RideshareOnline users are selected to win a $50 gift certificate from a local business. D’Almeida said her town’s determination to make a difference put trip reduction in reach. She said she had great support from the mayor and town council along the way.
Mayor Nancy Conard agrees it takes a village or a town in this case. And having a town sustainability guru on staff doesn’t hurt either. Trip reduction is just one part of d’Almeida’s work, the mayor said. She’s also been busy making the town government, small businesses and residents more energy efficient. “Every vehicle trip we eliminate brings us closer to our goal of reducing greenhouse gas,” Conard said. “It’s been wonderful to see people really getting into this idea of trip reduction.”
Trip reduction programs have been targeting emissions, fuel consumption and congestion in urban areas across the state for nearly two decades with the statewide Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program. It focuses on large employers in urban centers to encourage workers to drive alone less often. While Washington State is considered a national leader in trip reduction, the state’s existing programs didn’t extend to small towns like Coupeville.
Unlike the urban parts of state where hours of traffic congestion every day is motivation enough for many people to join a vanpool or take the bus, Coupeville’s small-town rush hour lasts only about 15 minutes, d’Almeida said, so she had to get creative. For many, cleaner air, energy conservation and cost savings made an effective call to action. For others incentives of a different kind – the chance to win a $50 gift certificate to a local business – did the trick.
“Island Transit’s fare-free policy and strong support has been a huge factor in our success,” she said. “The overall culture they create makes it fun for employees and riders to be on the bus.”
When Coupeville’s rideshare program celebrated its first anniversary in August, the numbers indicated those incentives – personal, environmental or foldable – are paying off. In just one year it prevented more than 347 metric tons of C02, a greenhouse gas, from entering the atmosphere. For WSDOT this small town’s big success means investing in programs that ease the demand on our transportation systems and protect the air we breathe make sense not just for the state’s congested and urbanized cities but in every community where people travel.
“Coupeville demonstrates that transportation demand management (TDM) isn’t just for large congested urban areas anymore, trip reduction programs can help smaller rural areas achieve local goals, in this case greenhouse gas emissions reduction, while contributing to regional and state transportation system efficiency,” said WSDOT planner Christopher Aiken, who supports the state’s CTR program. “Trip reduction can work for Washington’s citizens and help support a healthier environment in every community from our largest cities to our smallest towns.”
We’re taking a closer look at sustainability and how it’s a part of everything we do. If you have a story idea for us, we'd love to hear it. Send your ideas to Noel.Brady@wsdot.wa.gov .
Posted Sept. 21, 2011
Recent upgrades to RideshareOnline.com make it more rewarding than ever for people across Washington state and the Pacific Northwest to create carpools and vanpools, find ideas and incentives to improve their commutes and track their progress. Now users can log their trips in their RideshareOnline.com calendar, instantly see their cost saving, gas usage and environmental benefits and compare their achievements to the cumulative savings of their entire network.
By providing one-stop-shopping for efficient transportation options and ridematching, the free online service helps WSDOT and dozens of transportation partners in Idaho, Oregon and Washington better manage congestion and reduce vehicle emissions. RideshareOnline is now more than 40,000 commuting members strong with more than 1,000 worksite networks.
Over the last month, nearly 2,500 people logged on to RideshareOnline for the first time to try out upgraded tools that make it easier to find vanpool or carpool, catch a bus, ride bike or walk to work, even find a last-minute ride to a special event. Efficient commute choices like these reduced the amount they drove alone less often – 2.2 million miles less. In addition to helping ease traffic congestion, offering easier access to better, more efficient commuting helped participants save nearly $500,000 in commute costs and conserve nearly 71,000 gallons of gasoline. The program helped users cut their greenhouse emissions by 1.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide.
Sign up today .
Posted Sept. 20, 2011 
At WSDOT headquarters in Olympia, you see them every morning rain or shine, plastic helmet strapped under chin, messenger bag slung high and tight and those shoes click, click, clicking up the concrete stairs.
Day after day, hill after hill, legs pumping like a Swiss watch, WSDOT bike commuters measure fuel in mileage in calories. It's a mindset that makes an automatic door or a covered bike rack so important for encouraging people to ride more and drive less to make transportation more sustainable .
WSDOT planner Pam Tyler used grant dollars to turn what was once a smokers’ corner in the basement of our Northwest Region headquarters in Shoreline into a bike station with amenities that appeal to cyclists, such as electronic key-card entry, hooks to suspend and protect bikes, lockers, a message board and a daily mingling spot for bike enthusiasts. Two years on, the station is nearly full with hanging bikes on clear days.
The Federal Highway Administration says transportation is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas in the nation, with an average car spewing 20 pounds of carbon dioxide for every gallon of gas.
That means just one person riding a bike for their 6-mile weekday round-trip commute can prevent more than 65 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Estimate based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s calculation of typical passenger vehicle greenhouse gas emissions.
People who pedal to work might be on to something. Not only do they save money on parking, gas and vehicle maintenance, but they’re easing congestion and cutting greenhouse gas emissions for a healthy environment, strong economy and vibrant communities.
We’re taking a closer look at sustainability and how it’s a part of everything we do. If you have a story idea for us, we'd love to hear it. Send your ideas to Noel.Brady@wsdot.wa.gov .
Posted July 6, 2011 Interstate 90 through Snoqualmie Pass can be a transportation challenge, to say the least. But WSDOT employees are trying to keep the pass safe and efficient by finding new ways to make necessary highway improvements more sustainable, even under the toughest conditions.
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From recycling rock-blasting materials to working with other agencies to reduce the distance dump trucks travel, South Central Region is earning recognition for innovative ideas, such as new ways to share resources with other agencies, and construction methods that improve I-90 over the pass for truckers and travelers, while easing damage to the area’s pristine forests and clean mountain air.
Take the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project for example. WSDOT’s team for this project recently took home a Cascade Land Conservancy award for Innovative Conservation Project. Their work is an impressive example of how WSDOT is using sustainable construction methods, materials and ideas to save money and resources, while keeping roads safe and protecting the environment.
The ongoing, first phase of the project is improving five miles of I-90 in both directions from Hyak to Keechelus Dam with an added lane and fresh concrete pavement, as well as replacing bridges and culverts and upgrading avalanche protection to reduce highway closures. Native vegetation and trees removed during construction will be reused to make lake-side road banks more stable and improve habitats for fish and wildlife. And a wider I-90 will reduce traffic delays and cut harmful carbon emissions.
“We tried to design the project in a way that would both reduce project costs and increase efficiency in many ways,” said Jason Smith, WSDOT’s environmental manager for the project.
“By working with 12 other agencies, we managed to reduce the miles our dump trucks travel by storing material close to where we’ll reuse it on the project. Collaborations also allowed us to identify material we could salvage and use for environmental restoration, so we didn’t have to buy and haul in new material from another site. It all adds up to less fuel burned, emissions reduced and money saved.”
Snoqualmie Pass is a critical link in our state’s highway system. It connects people on both sides of the Central Cascades, and it’s indispensable to our economy for delivering goods and doing business efficiently. The pass got about 500 inches of snow this year, and it carries more than 35 million tons of freight and 10 million vehicles annually. When it closes, freight can be delayed for days and travelers sometimes must drive an additional 200 miles or more to cross the Cascades.
Since the I-90 Project’s planning phase a dozen years ago, Smith and his team have focused on win-win solutions, finding ways to get the work done right for both traffic and the environment. They also investigated how their work could be valuable to other agencies and properties in the area – potential motivation for sharing resources.
The project team worked closely with the state Department of Ecology and State Parks, reaching an agreement to store 350,000 cubic yards of excavated lake material at a nearby location to reuse later in the project. It saved fuel, emissions and costs from 35,000 truckloads of material that would have been hauled 20 additional miles and later returned to the pass for reuse – that’s two round trips for each truck or about 1.4 million miles. At about seven miles per gallon of diesel, those trucks would’ve consumed at least 200,000 gallons.
They also teamed up with the U.S. Forest Service to extend WSDOT’s geotechnical and environmental studies to include Forest Service property, share costing and resources.
Two universities helped them study local habitats early in the project. The I-90 team used the data to develop the best approach to reduce collisions with new highway-crossing features for animals, reuse natural materials and protect fish and wildlife. WSDOT preserved 310 acres of habitat in the Gold Creek valley. Crews are reusing large trees for aquatic habitat and small trees for land-based wildlife habitat.
The team’s innovative approach earned WSDOT awards and recognition by industry publications. It also inspired organizers of the International Conference on Ecology & Transportation to select Seattle as the location for their 2011 conference in August.
“We’re on time and within budget,” Smith said. “We pushed ourselves, and we learned a lot. When we leave this project site, the land will be better than it was when we started.”
Hyak to Keechelus Dam, the currently funded $551 million, five-mile portion of the I-90 Project, is scheduled to be complete in 2017.
Posted June 29, 2011 WSDOT’s Transportation Equipment Fund (TEF) fleet of highway maintenance vehicles and equipment was recognized as one the “100 Best Fleets in North America” at the national Fleet Conference. There are 38,000 public fleets eligible for the award and TEF is one of only four state fleets to make the list.
“Many on the list are smaller fleets, managing fewer vehicles and less variety” said Greg Hansen, TEF Administrator. “We manage a large diverse fleet with everything from dump trucks and snow blowers to passenger vehicles and boats. Being recognized is a great honor for the entire TEF staff statewide.”
WSDOT also received the Government Green Fleet award for the second year in a row for advancements in environmental sustainability, including:
- fleet composition (conventional fuel versus hybrid, electric and/or alternative fuel vehicles)
- use of renewable and alternative fuels
- planning for a sustainable future
The awards, judged by a panel of fleet experts with 100 years combined experience, were announced at a national Fleet Conference in San Diego. The 100 Best Fleets award program recognizes peak performing public-sector fleet operations. Judging on 12 criteria, the ‘Drivers of Excellence’ in the fleet management community includes: accountability, use of technology and information, trust and collaboration, performance recognition and good resource stewardship of human, capital and natural resources.
Here are some ways WSDOT met these 12 Drivers of Excellence:
WSDOT works to reduce fleet emissions and improve fleet efficiency with new methods and technology. An example of this is adjusting preventative maintenance schedules using fuel usage as a basis, rather than a period of time. This reduced the department use of petroleum products (engine oil) by more than 14,500 gallons each year. Another operational technique is installing shift lights in heavy trucks’ dash, letting drivers know the optimum time to shift gears to operate the truck at its best fuel economy and performance.
From fiscal year 2008 to 2010, WSDOT:
- reduced its fuel use by 10 percent
- purchased 50 percent more biofuel
- purchased 43 percent more hybrid vehicles
- reduced its passenger vehicle inventory by 9 percent
- reduced privately-owned vehicle miles travelled for state business by 27 percent
- Developed and implemented a strategic sustainability plan to minimize emissions, reduce fuel consumption; improve the efficiency of the fleet and to identify strategies to operate the fleet more efficiently.
Accountability, we do it right the first time
WSDOT’s electronic Fleet and Equipment Management System, FleetFocus M5, is an effective tool for scheduling, monitoring and analyzing equipment repair and downtime and employees’ time spent per unit. FleetFocus M5 records repairs, services, inspections, tests, costs and actions relating to fleet vehicles and equipment. This information is critical for fleet management decision making regarding planning and budgets and equipment utilization and replacement.
Trust, Creativity and Collaboration
WSDOT TEF established a TEF SharePoint site to facilitate communications between equipment personnel statewide. Shops are equipped with computers and Internet, allowing employees to communicate with their colleagues, customers and suppliers.
Statewide equipment evaluation teams involve the end users and field test prior to ordering new equipment. Uniform equipment standards also reduce fuel consumption and minimize emissions.
Quick / Efficient Turnaround
WSDOT maintains its vehicles and equipment to the highest standards. A well-timed preventative maintenance program reduces wear and tear, increases vehicle and maintains optimal fuel economy.
Posted June 3, 2011 Sometimes making transportation more sustainable is as simple as easing off the gas pedal or, in the case of Washington State Ferries, adjusting a throttle setting to use less diesel fuel.
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Take the Puyallup and Spokane, for instance. The 202-car and 188-car vessels reduced fuel consumption on the Kingston/Edmonds route by 6 percent per ship earlier this year after the Puyallup’s chief engineer and masters recommended easing off the throttle during off-peak hours to save fuel, carbon emissions and money.
That simple change saved about 7,000 gallons of diesel per month per boat without affecting safety or on-time performance. A trial period has been extended to the end of June to see if similar throttle adjustments could work on other routes.
Ferries also is helping passengers conserve fuel when traveling to and from ferry terminals with a rideshare program that recently earned top honors. Ferries won a Commuter Challenge Diamond Award for its program that offers fare discounts to vanpoolers and sends them – and carpoolers too – to the front of the line.
Vanpools that pay a $20 annual registration fee are exempt from vehicle fares, and drivers sail free too when accompanied by four paying passengers. Both registered vanpools and carpools carrying three people or more also skip the line when boarding and disembarking, saving them about 10 minutes each trip.
The program’s seven Puget Sound ferry routes now carry about 172 vanpools and 67 carpools each weekday. “For example,” explains Assistant Secretary David Moseley, “19 vanpools travel on the 4:20 p.m. weekday sailing from Fauntleroy – that’s 22 percent of the ferry!”
Stay tuned because ferries is thinking and working on more ways to provide a reliable, responsible and sustainable transportation system.
We’re taking a closer look at sustainability and how it’s a part of everything we do. If you have a story idea for us, we'd love to hear it. Send your ideas to Noel.Brady@wsdot.wa.gov .
Posted April 27, 2011 You recycle those paper cups, bottles and old documents to keep them out of the landfill. Curious to find out how much landfill space a 300-foot-long, four-lane bridge would take?
Neither was WSDOT’s I-405 project team. That’s why they recycled 100 percent of the NE 12th Street bridge that spanned I-405 in downtown Bellevue. Crews demolished it in March after completing a longer, wider bridge to connect new ramps to I-405 and SR 520
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Workers hauled off to recyclers nearly 4,000 tons of concrete, 225 tons of rebar and truck loads of wood. In addition to cutting carbon emissions from production, recycling construction materials saves money.
“In the old days it would’ve been taken to a landfill,” said Seema Javeri, project engineer for the bridge demolition and replacement. “Now we’re recycling road and bridge materials and even going back and restoring DOT property that was used for dumping 25 years ago.”
The state does not require recycling in bridge demolition, but it is becoming the norm as the market for recycled materials grows. Today our engineers routinely write construction specifications that make it easier to recycle materials.
“It’s one thing to recycle material,” said Steve Mader, an environmental manager for I-405 Corridor Design-Builders, “but it’s better to upcycle” or preserve materials during demolition to keep them in good condition for reuse. His firm routinely crumbles concrete on site for use as base rock. And his crews take care not to twist and mangle used rebar, which can increase its market value as much as five times.
Starting back in the 2002 with its Record of Decision, the I-405 program team has followed a guiding principle to leave the environment better then they found it, Javeri said. That means building better drainage and filtration systems, planting more vegetation and recycling more materials.
We’re taking a closer look at sustainability and how it’s a part of everything we do. If you have a story idea for us, we'd love to hear it. Send your ideas to Noel.Brady@wsdot.wa.gov .