Blog

King County Metro’s Vanpool program is a great way to commute to work moving forward. Here are a few reasons why you should get (back) into using vanpool:

1. Basics – Vanpool is a great way to share the ride with others who have a similar commute to work. These group members remain consistent, and can include co-workers, friends or neighbors. One of the group members drives the van, and the riders meet at a pre-set location or are picked up on the way and typically dropped off at their work location. The program includes everything – van, gas, maintenance, insurance, 24-hour roadside assistance and the emergency ride home program.
2. Flexibility – Enjoy reduced or alternating schedules available to vanpool commuters. Request a free bike rack for your van to combine biking with your vanpool commute.
3. Fares – Cost will vary but may be similar to a monthly transit pass. Check with your Human Resources department for details about your transportation benefits.
4. Safety – King County Metro Vanpool has adapted to COVID by adjusting program procedures to reduce in-person contact, as well as providing instruction on how group members can work together for a healthy commute. See details on the King County Metro website.   

Another Vanpool Benefit – Priority access. Commuters in West Seattle can now vanpool and travel on the Spokane Street Bridge for a faster trip. Since the West Seattle Bridge closed in March 2020 and more commuters are on the road, the detour routes are getting more congested. With vanpool access to the lower bridge, commuters are saving 20-45 minutes each way on their commute. Here is a testimonial from one vanpooler:

• “I cannot advocate enough for the Metro vanpool program! When traveling to/from West Seattle, it is by far the easiest way to commute. Being able to use the lower bridge has saved us about 45 minutes on our commute each way. Being able to rely on a reasonable commute time has reduced our stress significantly and allowed us more time with our families at home. It is a clean, safe, reliable and cost-effective way to commute to work. Thank you, Metro and SDOT!” -Emily, West Seattle vanpool commuter

For more information on restarting your King County Metro vanpool, click here. Commuting to or from locations outside of King County? Check out vanpooling programs of other agencies in the Vanpool section on www.ChooseYourWayBellevue.org/share-the-ride.

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex
 

Curious how the pandemic has affected employers and employees in Downtown Bellevue? We conducted a non-scientific, voluntary survey of employer representatives with worksites in Bellevue. Here’s what we heard from the 29 respondents:

• 72% of employers said they plan to continue a telework policy after they return to the office, while 62% said they had a telework policy in place prior to COVID-19.
• 34% of employers said they did not have a telework program prior to COVID-19, with 4% of these indicating they won’t have a telework policy by the time they return to the office.
• 24% of employers said “I’m not sure” to having a telework policy when they return to the office. 4% said “I’m not sure” to having a telework policy before COVID-19.
• When asked about their biggest concerns for their employees, two main areas were indicated:
  • Commuting and access to work: traffic, bus schedules and transit wait times
  • Health and safety: in the office and on transit

Analysis:

Based on the survey responses collected, we see a likely shift in companies adapting their telework policies for the long term. The biggest shift we identified is companies being much more likely to consider teleworking as a potential solution to health and safety concerns.
The decreasing number of employers NOT having a telework policy and the INCREASE in those unsure if they have one can be explained as companies having these discussions for the first time.
For more details about employer responses on post-COVID telework attitudes and commute benefits anticipated following return to office, check out the full report on our website.

Prevalence of telework among employees of larger Bellevue employers – longer-term

See chart below for another interesting factoid about Bellevue: Over the last decade (pre-COVID), among employees of CTR employers which have 100+ employees, telework has been more prevalent in Bellevue than in Seattle or the state as a whole. This seems to bode well for Bellevue in a post-COVID world!
 

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex 

The September Service Change is coming on the 19th of this month... are you prepared for how this might affect your travel? Below is a collection of bus routes that operate within Bellevue. Read on to learn how these routes are changing and how this may impact your travel habits in Bellevue.

King County Metro Routes in Bellevue

No change
RapidRide B Line
111

Reduced
212 Reduced to operate on weekdays every 15 minutes between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
218 Reduced service in the morning
221 Evening trips reduced
226 Reduced to hourly service on Saturdays
240 Reduced in peak period on weekdays
245 Reduced in peak period on weekdays
250 Reduced to hourly service after 10:25 p.m. on weekdays
271 Reduced in frequency on weekdays and weekends

Already suspended as part of temporary reduced service network
114
167
216
217
219
232
237
246
249
342

For full information on how King County Metro bus routes are being affected by the service change, check out their service change page.

Sound Transit Routes in Bellevue

No change
560

Reduced
532/535 Reduced service in the morning and evening on weekdays
541/542 Canceled service to Overlake Park & Ride on weekdays
545 Reduced service in the morning on weekdays
550 Reduced service in the morning and evening on weekdays
554 Reduced service in the morning on weekdays
566 Reduced midday and evening service

Suspended as part of temporary reduced service network
544
555
567

For full information on how Sound Transit bus routes are being affected by the service change, check out their service change page.
 

Make sure to plan ahead of these Bellevue bus service changes. Stay healthy, maintain six feet and stay safe!

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex

Since the beginning of the pandemic, many individuals have wondered if transit is the best way to get around. Is it safe? How clean are the buses? What protocols are in place? Here, we answer these questions.

For buses, Sound Transit and its operating partners (including King County Metro, Community Transit and Pierce Transit) have taken the following steps:

• All buses sanitized daily
• Masks available to passengers on routes serving Pierce and Snohomish counties
• Select seats blocked to promote social distancing
• Some routes operating with capacity limits to limit crowding

King County Metro has reported the following additional information on cleanliness of their buses during COVID-19.

• Air Filtration
  • The inside air system on buses, known as HVAC, constantly filters air through it to trap COVID-19 and prevent the virus from moving throughout the system.
• Cleaning
  • Cleaning protocols and frequency has been upgraded on Metro buses since COVID-19 emerged. Crews disinfect all areas of every bus, every night.

If you’re looking to take transit, make sure to stay up to date with the “reduced schedule” pages from King County Metro and Sound Transit to ensure your bus routes are still in effect. As you travel, remember to mask up, wash your hands and maintain six feet from others. Stay safe!

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex

Sources:

www.soundtransit.org/blog/platform/staying-safe-board-trains-buses

https://kingcountymetro.blog/2020/04/10/how-metro-improves-air-quality-in-buses-for-drivers-and-passengers/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A6KKqLC3o8

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/schedules-maps/reduced-schedule.aspx

https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/changes-affect-my-ride

Eastside Metro Webinar - Click here to view the webinar. This webinar was recorded live on Tuesday, August 11 at 1 p.m. This webinar strives to answer questions about transit with King County Metro's experts from Business Services, Rideshare, Service Planning, and Operations to discuss public transportation during COVID-19. Presenters include Kirk Hovenkotter (Greater Redmond Transportation Management Association), Sean Hawks (Communication Manager), Grace Carlson (Service Planning, East King County Team), Quiana Thomas (Rideshare Services Representative), and Rocco Devito (Customer Relationship Manager).

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex

We have been enduring the pandemic for over four months now, and many people are finding their groove with day-to-day life. We’ve provided help with staying physically and mentally active before; here are more tips for maintaining balance during these times.

Staying Physically Active

1.    Walking – Link to CYWB pedestrian guides/bike map

• There’s nothing quite like getting a breath of fresh air after being cooped inside during the workday. Go to a local trail, take a stroll and soak up some vitamin D this summer! Need help getting around? Check out the Downtown Pedestrian Guide. Looking to get out on more than just your legs? Take a gander at the 2020 Bellevue Bike Map for biking assistance.

2.    Check out Bellevue businesses on your commute

• The pandemic hit everyone in different ways, but businesses are back up and running in Bellevue! Why not stop by your favorite coffee shop when commuting through downtown?

3.    Go nature watching

• With less individuals out and about, nature seems to be more active these days. Bike out to your favorite park and bring your binoculars! Look at the birds, squirrels, bunnies and more to see what nature is up to.

Staying Mentally Active

1.    Puzzles

• Why not sit down with you family and complete a fun activity? Puzzles are a great way to entertain the brain and pass the time.

2.    Catch up on your movie list

• People are consuming media very differently now; streaming services are at an all-time high. This is the best opportunity to sit down and start making off all the movies you’ve yet to see!

3.    Have a virtual game night with your friends!

• Platforms like Zoom, Discord, Skype and more have made it easier than ever to play games over the internet with your friends. Get a virtual game of Scrabble, Catan or Quiplash going with your buddies for a great time.

These are just a few ways to stay active during the pandemic – until next time, stay safe and stay healthy!

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex

Building a Successful Telework Program for your Eastside Business - Click here to view the webinar. This webinar was recorded live on Monday, July 20 at 2 p.m. This webinar reviews telework program best practices from an Eastside perspective. Presenters include Kirk Hovenkotter (Greater Redmond TMA, Executive Director), Elham Shirazi (Principle E-Planning/WorkSmart) and Tim Rowe (Transportation Program Manager at T-Mobile).

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex

Each month, Choose Your Way Bellevue staff selects a lucky winner from our Mover of the Month story submissions. For April and May winners, we have Thomas Ricci and Eric Chau!

Thomas Ricci – April

Thomas shared the following story with us:

“I moved in the summer to Bellevue, and one benefit of the location was the good and big variety of commute options. Previously I lived far in the north of Bothell, and commuting during rush hours was terrible. I could only choose between my car or my company’s shuttle service that had few rides at inconvenient times, so I ended up spending at least one hour stuck in traffic every single day. Moving to Bellevue has been incredible. Now I can use the bus, carpool with some coworkers or even use my bicycle during the summer! My commute is much better and sustainable, but most importantly, now I can spend more than thirty minutes a day with my family!”

Eric Chau – May

Eric shared the following story with us:

“As a construction inspector, I spend most of my days in the company car, sitting in traffic going from job site to job site. I'm too familiar with the stress that comes with the journey. The last thing I want to do is commute home in my own car in stand-still traffic on I-405. Over the past five years, I have discovered that by commuting by bike, bus and walking to my office has helped me ease the stress and anxiety of traffic. I use the time I have on the bus to read emails and organize my schedule for the day. It works for me. Thank you, Choose Your Way Bellevue.”

Both Thomas and Eric shared awesome stories, and you can too!

Each month, Choose Your Way Bellevue staff selects one Bellevue traveler's transportation story. Those whose stories are selected receive $50 toward bus or vanpool fare (in the form of a TranBen voucher) or the equivalent in Choose Your Way Bellevue merchandise. Learn about the program and submit your commute story here. Learn about our other reward offerings at ChooseYourWayBellevue.org/rewards.

­-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex

What better way to celebrate summer than by challenging yourself to a very active form of bingo? We’ve put together a fun, interactive bingo board to help you get out on your trusty two wheels in the beautiful weather. Whether you’ve started this challenge yet or not, here are some helpful tips to tackle some of the tasks!

Tasks:

• Signed up for Choose Your Way Bellevue Rewards
  • You can sign up for Rewards at ChooseYourWayBellevue.org/Rewards. Go to this webpage and click on the “Sign Up” button. From there, you’ll enter in your information, create a password and click on “Register.” It’s that easy!
• Logged a biking trip on Choose Your Way Bellevue
  • Once you’ve registered with Choose Your Way Bellevue Rewards, you’ll be able to log trips. Log into your account from the “Log In” button on www.ChooseYourWayBellevue.org/Rewards or at ChooseYourWayBellevue.icarpool.com. You will be on your dashboard. From there, click on the drop-down menu (left side) and click on “Calendar.” 
  • Then, click on “Bike” in the “Select Mode” drop-down menu, enter in the starting and ending address, and select the days on the calendar you traveled using that mode
  • From there, click “Log Trip” underneath the calendar. You’re all set!
  • This can be done for logging all other trip types, including bus, teleworking, carpooling
• Read Choose Your Way Bellevue’s “Five Reasons Why Biking Now is Better” blog
  • To access our blogs, go to ChooseYourWayBellevue.org/blog. Then, scroll down until you find the one with the title, “Five Reasons Why Biking Now is Better.” Then, click on the title to read and comment!
• Had a picnic while socially distanced
  • This is a great opportunity to get outside to your local park, place a blanket on the grass and soak up the sun while enjoying a meal. As a reminder, here is a good source of information for using parks while socially distancing.

So get a bingo, tag a friend and send a screenshot of your completed board to info@cywb.org and you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win a Choose Your Way Bellevue branded backpack with branded goodies inside!

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex

Sources:
Joint Statement on Using Parks and Open Space While Maintaining Physical Distancing - NRPA

Three practical things you can do at home to improve your bike’s working condition

The weather is getting nicer and biking numbers have already been on the rise in Bellevue…so now is the perfect time to dust off your bicycle, get outside and go for a ride! Before doing so, it might prove useful to give your two-wheeled, human-powered machine a little tune-up to make sure things are good to go. Here are three easy tasks you can do from home to get your bike in great condition:

• Clean the chain
  • It’s easier to do than you think; aids shifting/accelerating; and extends the life of your chain.
    • Remove chain and soak it in hot water with dish soap for 16-24 hours
    • Disassemble and clean each roller with a cotton swab
    • Spray speed degreaser onto the chain and wipe clean with a dry rag (Finish Line is great and can be purchased at your local bike shop)
    • Apply lube when finished
    • In-depth video here
• Adjust the brakes
  • When pulled, does your brake lever reach the handlebar without stopping your bike? If so, your brakes are worn or your cables are stretched! Do the following:
    • Turn the barrel adjuster on the brake caliper clockwise one click at a time, testing your brakes after each adjustment
    • If you reach the last click and still haven’t solved the problem, turn it clockwise until it stops, loosen the pinch bolt and pull a small amount of cable through
    • Tighten the pinch bolt and repeat the process until you get the right amount of tension
    • In-depth video here
• Smooth out shifting
  • You’ll want to make sure there are no jumps or skips in your chain, which most likely come from loose cable tension.
    • Get your bicycle on a repair stand (which can be purchased for as little as $20), and shift to the smallest cog
    • Turn the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur one-half turn clockwise
    • As you rotate your pedals, shift once
    • If the chain doesn’t jump to the next cog, make another half-turn
    • If the chain starts to jump to cogs for every one shift, you went too far, so back it down a half-turn
    • Don’t turn the barrel adjuster more than halfway at a time – you may end up with too much tension
    • In depth video here

Of course you can always contact your local bike shop for bike tune-ups, maintenance and repair. Need help finding bike shops and knowing where to ride in Bellevue? The newly updated 2020 Bellevue Bike Map can help. Want a hard copy? Call 425-452-6856 or email TRReception@bellevuewa.gov.

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Alex

Sources:

REI Degreaser

How to Perfectly Clean Chain - Global Cycling Network

How to Adjust Bike Brakes - Howcast

Getting Your Gears Running Smoothly