Employers in the Seattle area are outpacing City Hall in providing incentives to employees not to drive to work in single occupancy cars. A state law even requires companies with 100 or more commuters to provide alternative commuting plans.
"Feeling the pinch at the gas pump, local workers and employers are not waiting for City Hall, the federal government or OPEC to ease the pressure. Instead, they are creating their own networks of commuter alternatives, from private buses to van pools to free bikes.
On Monday, Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center debuted a shuttle service running five 14-passenger vans every 15 minutes to connect its downtown offices, Laurelhurst main hospital and Sand Point campus to the downtown bus tunnel.
High gas prices make people more curious about alternative ways of getting to work, said Children's transportation-policy and planning manager Paulo Nunes-Ueno. 'When that curiosity comes up,' he said, 'we want to be able to answer that.'
Like other employers, Children's has hired specialists to counsel employees on their commuting options - Nunes-Ueno affectionately calls them "transportation therapists." So far, they have mapped out personalized commuter itineraries for 650 of Children's 4,000 employees."
FULL STORY: Puget Sound-area commuters are getting creative to avoid rising gas prices
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Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service