Indicators of Sustainable Community
Sponsored by: Sustainable Seattle

This program tracks 40 separate measures of the quality of life and sustainability in Seattle, to see whether they are improving, declining or staying the same. The indicators include vehicle miles traveled, housing affordability, open space and wetlands, air quality, and economic characteristics.

This was the first effort of its kind in this region and has both a national and international reputation. Other cities such as San Francisco and London are modeling their programs after this one. Hundreds of Seattle-area volunteers have invested thousands of hours to design and research this integrated "report card" on long-term trends in our region. Three Indicators reports have been published since 1993.

Mountains-to-Sound Greenway Trust
Sponsored by: Mountains-to-Sound Greenway Trust

Mountains-to-Sound is a private, nonprofit association of citizens, community leaders and government officials which has worked to create a greenway along the I-90 corridor. The trust has leveraged over $22 million in federal, state and local funds to preserve 4,115 acres of critical lands along this corridor. This effort also includes a network of recreational trails, a youth conservation and education program, and working farms, forests, rest areas, and communities. It is designed to protect the environment while supporting family-wage natural resource economies and promoting historic preservation and tourism.

Interurban Trail Project
Sponsored by: Snohomish County, Everett, Lynnwood, and Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County

The Interurban Trail in Snohomish County follows the right-of-way once used by the Interurban Trolley that ran from Ballard to Bellingham in the early days of the 20th century. This 11.8-mile trail is a joint project of Snohomish County, the cities of Everett and Lynnwood, and Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County. The City of Mountlake Terrace will ultimately extend the trail south to the King County line.

In addition to being a recreation trail for biking and walking, the Interurban offers access to park-and-ride lots and bus routes. The trail also connects the Everett and Alderwood malls and provides safe access to some schools. The ultimate goal is to connect the Interurban to the Burke Gilman Trail in Seattle, as well as it extend it north to hook up with other trails in Everett and beyond.

One Less Car: Use it Wisely
Sponsored by: City of Bellevue

This campaign encouraged people to reduce travel by car and focused on non-work trips, which comprise about 80 percent of the travel in this region. The city enlisted support of many businesses in this effort, including 28 auto companies and related businesses, who helped distribute materials and provided prizes for the "Use it Wisely Sweepstakes" in which residents described how they "skipped an auto trip."

The program also included the city's first full-color Bellevue bus map, the "Give Your Car a Break" booklet with tips on wise car use which was distributed by many businesses, information kiosks, ads in newspapers, buses and radio, and educational programs in a number of schools. More than 500 people participated in the sweepstakes, over 4,000 people used free bus tickets, and more than 30,000 bus maps were distributed.

Transportation Demand Management Program Partnership
Sponsored by: City of Kirkland and the Lake Washington School District

This program came about because the school district needed to expand two high schools and a junior high, and the district had to work with the city to mitigate the traffic impacts of these expansions.

The results included a ridematch system, bicycle facilities, and parking charges. Students were closely involved, and conducted surveys to determine how students commuted to school and what program elements would work most effectively. Based on the results, they developed a marketing plan with advertising and promotions, including a transit map showing major destination points in Kirkland and how students could travel to each by using transit.

U-PASS
Sponsored by: University of Washington, Community Transit, and King County Metro

The U-PASS began in 1991 as a partnership between the University and the two local transit agencies, Metro and Community Transit (Sound Transit service was added in October 1999). The program is designed to provide better transportation services to University commuters; to decrease the number of vehicle trips and in turn the need to replace lost parking with new parking facilities; and to mitigate potential traffic and parking impacts of University growth.

A U-PASS, priced at $31 per quarter for students and $42 for faculty and staff, gives participants access to many benefits: unlimited access to Metro, Community Transit and Sound Transit buses; free carpool parking on campus; subsidized vanpool fares; free rides on the Night Ride shuttle; ridematch services; bicycle programs; and discounts at stores and restaurants.

Between 1990 and 1999, Metro estimates that total UW Seattle ridership grew to 7.2 million trips annually, a 68 percent increase. Metro service to the U-District is among the highest in the region. About 10 percent of all Metro trips were taken by U-PASS holders. Community Transit ridership increased 21 percent to about 437,000 trips annually. Since the start of the U-PASS, the number of carpool permits are up 65 percent and the number of impromptu daily carpool permits issued has increased 21 percent. The total number of carpool participants has increased by 1,174 since October 1990 to 4,761 in October 1999, a 33 percent increase.


Honorable Mention

Downtown Kirkland - Honorable Mention 1996
Sponsored by: City of Kirkland

The city was recognized for its tremendous commitment to promoting the goals of VISION 2020 in downtown Kirkland over the past 30 years, including public/private investments and actions that have made downtown more pedestrian and bike-friendly, with retail, offices, housing and transit service.

Everett Metropolitan Center - Honorable Mention 1996
Sponsored by: City of Everett

Since 1990, the city has promoted and has experienced a resurgence in its downtown through investments from private developers, small businesses, the city, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Examples include the new community theater, co-location of offices, retail and housing in a variety of locations, including the restoration of the historic Monte Cristo Hotel, and many other outstanding projects.

"How to Become a Smart Tripper" Workbook - Honorable Mention 1996
Sponsored by: Kitsap Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation

The workbook introduces middle-school students to the environmental problems associated with overuse of the car and driving alone, and the benefits of transportation alternatives. The initial printing reached more than 6,000 students in dozens of Kitsap County schools; Kitsap Transit then worked with the state's Commute Trip Reduction Technical Assistance Team so the book could be revised and produced for students all over the state.

Pierce South Community & 72nd Street Transit Center - Honorable Mention 1996
Sponsored by: Pierce Transit and the Department of Health and Human Services

Completed in 1995, the center was the first transit facility in the state to be co-located with a DSHS office. The state and Pierce Transit worked together in negotiating a design and sharing costs. The facility serves over 100 employees and 400 clients per day at the DSHS office.

Proximate Commuting Demonstration Project - Honorable Mention 1996
Sponsored by: Key Bank of Washington, Mullins & Associates, the state Department of Transportation's Office of Urban Mobility, and the Washington State Transportation Center at the University of Washington

This project matched employees at 30 Key Bank branches in the region to branches closer to home, reducing total vehicle miles traveled. Eighty-five employees enrolled in the program, resulting in a 65 percent reduction in commute miles for those employees, and a 17 percent reduction in overall commute distance per branch.

Rainier Boulevard Project - Honorable Mention 1996
Sponsored by: City of Issaquah

The bicycle and walking trail along a former Burlington Northern Railroad corridor connects Issaquah High, a middle school, two elementary schools and the south residential neighborhoods with downtown. The trail is used heavily by students, in part because it goes by the Community Center, and is used by some people to commute to work. Construction involved preservation of a wetland area and building the Issaquah Trail Center, now a meeting place for local trails clubs and organizations. As part of the city's overall trails system, it connects to the South Issaquah Park-and-Ride and to recreational trails on Tiger Mountain.

Urban/Rural Greenway 4-to-1 Program - Honorable Mention 1996
Sponsored by: King County

This program allows property owners along the Urban Growth Boundary to change one acre to urban land, in exchange for making four acres permanent open space. It's an inexpensive way for the county to acquire permanent open space and to create a continuous open space growth boundary from one end of the county to the other.