Alliance pushes to get residents out of their cars

By Ray Pitz

The Beaverton Valley Times, Aug 28, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (2 Reader comments)

ADVERTISEMENTS

While Karen Frost knows that getting Washington County residents out of their cars is a challenge, it’s something that rising gas prices and a greater emphasis on reducing carbon footprints may help make a little easier.

Enter the Westside Transportation Alliance, an organization whose sole purpose is working with employers to cut down on the number of daily employee car trips.

As executive director of the organization, Frost’s goal is to provide information and resources to create transportation options such as biking, walking, van pooling or telecommuting or even the creation of a compressed work week.

“Employees are looking to work closer to home ... and many are looking to employers to offer transportation options,” Frost recently told the Washington County Board of Commissioners during a work session.

Commuter options are mandated by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which requires employers with more than 100 employees to reduce car trips by 10 percent within three years.

And Frost’s push is to do just that as the Westside Transportation Alliance recently finished its Carefree Commuter Challenge, an annual event that rewards commuters for finding alternative ways to get to work.

The contest had 160 businesses participate, which translated into about 3,500 employees.

On Sept. 11, the alliance will host an awards ceremony to honor businesses in five categories as well as give prizes to individuals. Those categories include such challenges as not driving alone to work for six days and commuting for 20 days without using a car, said Frost.

When looking for new businesses to join the alliance, Frost said the organization tries to designate someone at a company to serve as a transportation coordinator. That person is given a binder of ideas to convince their company managers to find alternatives to driving their cars to work.

She’s currently in talks with Macy’s at the Streets of Tanasbourne and has made contact with the transportation coordinator at Washington Square.

One of the alliance’s newer members is Tualatin Valley Water District, which already has a sustainability director.

“They’re just working at every level to reduce their carbon footprint,” said Frost. “They offer transit passes.”

1 | 2 Next Page >>