Some great new services for downtown employees and employers from getDowntown:

If you’re a little hesitant about busing, biking or carpooling to work downtown, you’re not alone. The world of sustainable transportation can be a little daunting.

That’s where we come in.  The getDowntown Program has experience with every commuting option you could think of (except maybe a pogo stick).

To make your life easier, we’ve created this handy Commuting Question form. All you have to do is type in your commuting question and we’ll send you a personal response.  Please note, this service is only available for employees/employers  in downtown Ann Arbor.

Click here to send us a Commuting Question.

Don’t have a question now?  Our Commuting Question form is on our website whenever you need it: getdowntown.org/resources/commutingquestion.html

Attention Downtown Employees, Managers, Admin Assistants, and HR Directors:

Wish you had a packet of commuting information for your employees?  Wish you could get all of your commuting materials delivered to your door? Wish granted!

You can now request materials from the getDowntown Program for all commuting options to downtown Ann Arbor.  From AATA Ride Guides to bike maps to new employee orientation guides, we have it all.

And every order comes with a free getDowntown pen!

Please note: this service is only available to downtown Ann Arbor employers/employees

Click here to request commuting materials from getDowntown.

A New York Times Blog recently posted that public transit ridership declined by 3.8% during the first nine months of 2009.  Not surprising given the lower gas prices and unemployment stats for 2009.   The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority experienced similar declines during that time.   Also of note is that transit ridership in San Francisco actually increased during this time.

One thing the blog post doesn’t consider is the change in automobile use during this time.  Were people also driving less because they didn’t have the money to go shopping etc?  Or maybe people were driving more because gas is cheap.  I am sure this stat is out there somewhere.

It would also be interesting to consider who stopped taking the bus.  Did people who always take the bus simply take the bus less?  Or did people who could choose between driving or busing choose to drive?  It’s not as if all transit riders are the same.  It would be very interesting to delve into this data as well.

For a somewhat basic breakdown of this concept, in the APTA report, it appears that ridership on Commuter Rail and Buses declined about 5% while ridership on Heavy Rail and Light Rail declined to a lesser degree (about 3% and 1% respectively) .  Trolley ridership actually increased by .6%   It would be interesting to see why the declines are different.  Any thoughts?

So I guess the take home lesson in all of this (which we’ve known here at the getDowntown Program for a while now) is that cost matters when it comes to transportation choices.  Most people will be more likely to change their commuting behavior when it starts to hit their pocketbook.  People are also more likely to change their commuting behavior when they live closer to where they work (within 4 miles or so).

As we enter a New Year and continue to have debates surrounding healthcare and global warming, how does transportation (and commuting in particular) fit into this picture?  What would our world look like if more people in Ann Arbor (and the US) used sustainable transportation?  What problems would this solve (or create)?

Bonnie Valentine loves the getDowntown Program!

I’ve decided to share my passion for public transportation in hopes of encouraging you to curb your car. It was through the getDowntown Program that I’ve reduced our household to only one vehicle by using public transportation. The benefits are too many to list. Therefore, I’ve narrowed it down to my top ten list.

For those of you who know me I love to create my own lyrics to popular tunes, but this proved to be extremely difficult for me to communicate my lyrics via the Blog posting. However, if you get the opportunity to sit next to me on the bus I’d gladly hum a few bars. Without further ado, drum roll please:

My co-worker and I were walking down Washington Street by Fouth Ave when we noticed this little guy attached to a bike rack:

Apparently it’s a velomobile.  According to the Blue Velo website: “Velomobiles are human powered vehicles. Hand-crafted using light weight materials such as carbon fibre and aluminium they provide an innovative and environmentally friendly alternative for commuting, touring, or personal recreation.”

Looks like this person opted for the Quest Model.  Wonder whose it is?

Starting today there is now some on-street bike parking in three different locations in downtown Ann Arbor.  This is temporary parking that will be around during the warmer months.  Each on-street bike parking rack holds about a dozen bikes.  The racks are located in front of the People’s Food Co-Op on Fourth Ave, Arbor Brewing Company on Washington, and Bivouac on State Street.

Here are some pictures of the one at the People’s Food Co-op.  It already has some bikes in it!

As the July Fourth holiday approaches, I’d like to get a little patriotic on you.

I think many people would agree that Freedom and Independence are strong American values.  Who doesn’t want to be able to do what they want, when they want?  Who doesn’t want to be able to voice their opinion, show their support for an important cause, or dance in the streets?

And isn’t Freedom and Independence about having Choices?  And the Freedom to choose between as many options as you can?

That’s what getDowntown is trying to do out here, people!

I think many of us would agree we would rather not be a slave to our cars.  Instead, we would all like to be able to come and go as we please, regardless of if our car breaks down, we can no longer afford gas, etc.

That’s where getDowntown and programs like ours come in.  Because isn’t it nice to know that should your car break down, you’re not completely stranded?  And for the most part, no one really is.

If you live close to work in Ann Arbor  (like I do) if you don’t have your car, you can still bus, bike and walk.  You can even call up a friend or neighbor and hitch a ride with them.

If you don’t live close to work (like many of you do), that’s no reason to be a slave to your car.  Many people who commute find people to carpool with.  And all it takes is going on a rideshare website or talking to some of your friends, co-workers and neighbors.

And then you’re all set.  You can get anywhere you need to go using all sorts of transportation.  Which seems pretty nice to me.

That’s why I can’t understand why people are so hesitant to at least know their options.  Knowing that you could perhaps take the bus to work if your car breaks down seem like a nice safety net to me.  But it’s not always easy to get people to think about it, or even care, until they have to.

But I’ll tell you this.  There are lots of people living in Ann Arbor that know the Freedom and Independence that comes with knowing your options.  They know how to use the bus system (if they have to do so).  They have a Zipcar account.  They have a bike, just in case.  And they know a couple of friends or co-workers they can call in case they need a ride.  They’ve moved from being auto-dependent to auto-independent.

When you are auto-independent, you don’t have to be a slave to your car.  You can come and go as you please, with or without your car, and save money and get exercise at the same time.  Doesn’t that sound nice?

And all it takes is just a little effort on your part.  Can you try a different way to get to work one time a month?  Can you think of a list of people you might be able to share rides with every now and then?  On the more challenging front, can you consider living closer to where you work?  I know this one is hard for many people right now, but maybe it’s something you could think about.

Finally, as many of us know, sometimes our Freedom and Independence can be taken away.  Even if we don’t take advantage of every freedom we have, no one really likes to think about one of them being taken away.  So even if you never use the bus, or get on a bike, why not support these options?  If not for you, than for those in the world who only have freedom if they have these options.  Do it for the elderly, for those with disabilities, for teens, and for those who can’t stand the thought of harming the environment without reason.

Maybe you feel like you are a slave to your car and that pisses you off.  Well know that there are organizations out there that can advocate for you (including this one).  Let them, and your elected officials know how you feel.

So this July Fourth as you enjoy the weekend, remember all of those things that make America (and this region) great.  And perhaps spend a moment or two to think about how transportation fits into that picture.

We had a wonderful awards ceremony yesterday!  Lot’s of fun and excitement.  Thanks to everyone who made it possible.

Commuter Challenge 2009 Award Winners

Commuter Challenge Commuter-Friendly Workplace Award

This award is given to the organization who won the Commuter Challenge in their size category.

1 Person Organization Winner: Wally Meyers at Suwanee Springs. Wally is also receiving a $50 gift certificate from the Main Street Area Association.
2-9 Person Organization Winner: Dascola Barbers. Dascola Barbers will also receive a free Pizza Party from Cottage Inn.
10-24 Person Organization Winner: ApplEcon. ApplEcon will also receive free 10 minute massage coupons from Relax Station for everyone in the organization!
25-99 Person Organization Winner: Quinn Evans Architects. Quinn Evans will also receive a Free Tea Tasting From Arbor Teas for anyone in the organization that participated in the Commuter Challenge.
100-499 Person Organization Winner: UM College of Engineering, Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences. They also won last year. This organization will also receive a free box of 6 chocolates from Schakolad for anyone in the organization that participated in the Commuter Challenge.
500+ Person Organization Winner: the City of Ann Arbor. The organization will also receive a free movie ticket to the Michigan Theater for anyone in the organization that participated in the Commuter Challenge.

To see all organizational stats, click here.

Super Commuter Award

This award is given to the individual who has shown an incredible commitment to using sustainable transportation during the Commuter Challenge and also got the most votes of all of the Super Commuter Nominees.

The Super Commuter Nominees are:

• Gail Christopherson, IT Director, Ann Arbor Credit Bureau
• Jane Allen, Legal Secretary, City of Ann Arbor
• Mike Woelmer, Senior Software Consultant, SRT Solutions
• Tracy Weaver, Facilities Manager, Google

The Winner of the Super Commuter Award is Mike Woelmer, Senior Software Consultant, SRT Solutions!
According to a co-worker, “Mike lives 18 miles from the office. He’s been riding his bike to work, round trip, most days (he’s only skipped days that he has to drive to a customer site, and on those days, he’s carpooled). In addition, he was the person who spearheaded our involvement in the commuter challenge and who has been keeping people motivated.”

Multi-Modal Super Commuter Award

This award is given to the individual who used the most different types of transportation during the Commuter Challenge.

The Winner of the Multi-Modal Super Commuter Award is Joe Hood, IT Director at Quinn Evans Architects!
Joe did 7 different types of sustainable transportation during the Commuter Challenge. The types were bike, bus, carpool, telecommute, moped/motorcycle, walk and run. When we told Joe he was in the running for this award, he said, “gee, if I knew, I would have roller-bladed one day.”

getDowntown Leadership Award

The Leadership award is given to the Manager or CEO who showed the strongest commitment to sustainable transportation during the Challenge. These individuals were nominated by their employees. The winner was the person who got the most votes of all of the Leadership Award Nominees.

The getDowntown Leadership Award Nominees are:

• Grace Singleton, Managing Partner, Zingerman’s Deli
• Rich Sheridan, CEO, Menlo Innovations
• Health Dupuis, Owner, Vie Fitness and Spa

And the Winner of the getDowntown Leadership Award is  Grace Singleton, Managing Partner, Zingerman’s Deli!
According to one employee: “Grace is an inspiration. She rides her bike year round. Which I personally think is pretty amazing. (she doesn’t live close by either). She made sure Zingerman’s was a sponsor this year. . . She is doing a lot outside the commuter challenge to help make Zingerman’s a bike / pedestrian friendly place.”

Alpha Ambassador Award

This award is given to the Commuter Challenge Ambassador who got the most people excited about the Commuter Challenge and using sustainable transportation and who did the most to promote sustainable transportation during the Challenge. The winners of this award were determined by a vote.

The winners of the Alpha Ambassador Award are (4-way tie)

• Logan Schaedig, Arbor Brewing Company
• Katy Derezinski, Thomson Reuters
• Anne Warrow, City of Ann Arbor
• Kristen Cuhran, Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan

Green Hero Award

This award is given to the Commuter Challenge Organization who has shown the greatest commitment to sustainability during the Commuter Challenge and beyond.

The winner is Thomson Reuters Healthcare and Science!

Here are some of the reasons Thomson Reuters won this award:

• Last year, local Thomson Reuters leadership sponsored the formation of a “Green Team” – a group of employees from around the business who help orchestrate environmentally-friendly activities within the company.
• After the 2008 Commuter Challenge ended, Thomson Reuters staged its own version of Curb Your Car from June 1 until Labor Day. Around 80 employees participated, finding alternative ways to get to work and avoiding 16 tons of CO2 omissions. After the Challenge was over, we held an awards ceremony that honored all participants, with special awards for those who participated the most.
• In September 2008, Thomson Reuters’ Green Team coordinated Green Week where employees raised over $800 to purchase carbon offsets, facilities management expanded the office recycling program to include batteries and cell phones in addition to paper, plastics, and cardboard, a daily online newsletter sent to all employees provided office-based green tips and more!

Best Ambassador Blog Post

This award is given to the Commuter Challenge Ambassador with the best blog post, as determined by a vote of Commuter Challenge participants.

The Winner of this award is Shannon Riffe of the Ann Arbor District Library for her post “Why I Choose to Use Sustainable Transportation.“

Commuter Challenge Final Stats

Check out the Final Stats from the 2009 Commuter Challenge by clicking here

Thank Yous

getDowntown would like to thank all of the people and organizations who helped make the Commuter Challenge a Success:

Sponsors
Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority
UM Parking and Transportation Services
Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (The Ride)
Quinn Evans Architects
Thomson Reuters
Zingerman’s Delicatessen
Miller Canfield
vgkids

In-Kind Prize Donors
Footprints on Main Street
Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
Kerrytown Concert House
BD’s Mongolian BBQ
Cosi
Starbuck’s on Main Street
Main Street Area Association
Seva Restaurant
Orbit Hair Design
Shalimar
Eastern Accents
Fourth Avenue Birkenstock
Cafe Ambrosia
The Earle
Arbor Brewing Company
Bank of Ann Arbor
Suwanee Springs
Bella Ciao
Performance Network Theatre
Ann Arbor Biscuit Co.
Ann Arbor Healing Arts, LLC
Raine @ Salon In The City
University of Michigan Parking and Transportation
South University Area Association
MichiVan Commuter Vanpools

Commuter Challenge Ambassadors
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Ashley Baum
Terri Blackmore
Sanford C. Bledsoe III
Eric Boyd
Dave Brenner
Andrew Brix
Kevin J. Bush
Steve Coffman
Norman Cox
Kristen Cuhran
Anya Dale
Katy Derezinski
Kevin Eyer
Lynne Fremont
Gint Gaska
Jeff Gaynor
Bruce Geffen
Sobha George
Aimee Germain
Riin Gill
Shari Gordon
Dunrie Greiling
Jessica Hanley
Juli Harrison
Fulter Hong
Neal Kessler
Steven Kronenberg
Astrid Larsen
Mona Logarbo
Vicki Murphy
Leah Nilsson
Sean O’Connor
Payal
Aimee Reische
Michael Rice
Shannon Riffe
Derek Roberts
Marlene Robinson
Logan Schaedig
Brian Schneidewind
Frank Schwende
Paul Slagle
Sarah Smallwood
Conan Smith
Elizabeth Tidd
Sara Tucker
Emilie Tullis
Bonnie Valentine
Anne Warrow
Wendy Welser
Bonnie Wessler
Chad Wood
Joe Wywrot

When I read this Commuter Challenge Success Story, I was really blown away.  Ines works at the US EPA on Plymouth and explains in this story how the Commuter Challenge got her on her bike for the spring, summer, and even the fall.

Read Ines’ story to find out how she went from 0-1,000 miles as a result of the Commuter Challenge:

The Commuter Challenge made a big difference in my life and completely changed my outlook at using alternate modes of transportation. After the Challenge last year, I continued biking until November and put 1000 miles in my bike (most of these miles were commuting miles).

Before this, I have not used a bike in more than 10-12 years and I have never biked to work before (I have worked for the EPA 17 years). I also should mention that I had a bike accident toward the end of the Challenge (end of May). I was biking on a sidewalk and a car pulled out into the sidewalk from a business drive and the car and I crashed pretty bad. I didn’t get any serious injuries, so I was very lucky. I ended up in the emergency room and got a lot of bruises, but nothing major (no broken bones!). Again, I was very, very, lucky. The accident, however, didn’t stop me from continuing using my bike and, as I said before, I continued biking until November. After the accident, I ended up biking more on the street. I feel safer on the road, although I wish we had more bike lanes. My bike from home to work takes me through Packard, which has a bike lane that I really like. Then I usually go through town, through the Broadway bridge and then use the path along Plymouth Road to my destination at EPA.

Also, my husband and I use the bike all the time to go downtown. Sometimes we also walk (depending on how much time we have). I also tried the bus/bike option a couple of times, but realized that I can get to my destination faster if I just bike. We use Packard a lot, which has the bike lane, but additional bike lanes in town will make a big difference. (hint, hint….more bike lanes, please!!!). I should also mention that I ended up using my bike for pretty much everything I did last year from May to November. I did all my errands, grocery shopping, etc.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to starting biking again this year. I did stop during the winter. I have an old, heavy mountain bike and it was getting really hard to bike when it was windy last year. Also, when it started snowing, I didn’t feel safe on the streets. I have been shopping around to see if I should get a newer, lighter bike, especially if I commute to work. Not sure yet if I will change my bike. I recently got smoother (hybrid) tires, which might help a bit with my commute. Another improvement that I’m considering is a better (softer!) seat. Maybe with these minor improvements, I might not need to get a new bike. I really got attached to my old bike! I bet it has something to do with being together on the road for 1000 miles!

With a little bit of planning, I realized that I pretty much could do most of my errands on the bike. I can honestly say that my bike was my primary mode of transportation. I very rarely used the car. I always tried to make it work by biking, whenever I could. It was an amazing feeling to be able to do most of your trips with the bike — a feeling of freedom and independence — it felt so cool to be out there on the bike! I really, really, really enjoyed it — as you can probably tell by now.

Do you have a Commuter Challenge Success Story?  Email it to us at info@getdowntown.org

This year the getDowntown Program thought we should give out an award to the bosses.  We know that a lot of bosses out there are participating in the Challenge and we want to reward a special someone with the getDowntown Leadership Award.

We are going to let Commuter Challenge participants vote on who they think should win the award.

We already have three nominees and are taking nominations until this Friday at 2pm.  So if you want to nominate your boss (and he or she is participating in the Commuter Challenge) you should email getDowntown at info@getdowntown.org

We’ll reveal the winner of this award at the Commuter Challenge Awards Ceremony on June 10th at 6pm at Conor O’Neills.

You can check out the getDowntown Leadership Award Nominees here.

On May 1, the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society (AABTS) and the Washtenaw Biking and Walking Coalition (WBWC) organized a Worst (and Best) streets of Ann Arbor ride .  The following is a report from Frank Schwende (WBWC Board Member) and Craig Stephan (Board Member of AABTS).  Frank and Craig organized this ride after meeting with city representatives to discuss the condition of city streets from the viewpoint of bicycle safety:

Who Was There and What We Experienced
Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje, Ann Arbor City Transportation Manager Eli Cooper, and Fifth Ward Ann Arbor City Council member Carsten Hohnke were among the ride participants.

Our crew of about ten riders covered about 15 miles around the city, not just downtown streets. Along the way we talked about the deficiencies of lane striping and signals not able to detect bicycles.  Eli was eager to explain that the city has obtained federal money to install new signs and stripe more bike lanes, both aimed at improving bicycle safety in town.  We paused at Bandemer Park where we discussed the proposed rail underpass and the prospects for routing a bike path underneath the existing rail trestle (similar to the bike path at Barton Dam).  Unless Argo Dam is completely removed and the water level drops 3 feet this option isn’t viable.

The Worst Streets
We saw a lot of rough road and sidepath surfaces, and the general feeling of the group was that it was wrong to feel that one needed a mountain bike to ride in the city. The worst roads, I think we all agreed, were Miller and Barton Drive.  In fact, the linear pot-holes on Barton Drive were extremely hazardous to bicycles – we’ve never seen anything like them anywhere else!  And if we are going to seriously encourage our youth to ride bicycles to school, then the available roads and paths, especially adjacent to the schools, ought to be superb, not the mess that surrounds Pioneer High School.

The Best Streets
Best stretch that we traveled was Packard Road, especially the relatively new surface south of Stadium and north of Jewitt, a 4-to-3 lane conversion. Wouldn’t it be great if the entire length of Packard could be improved like this?

Fuller Intermodal Transit Station
Eli Cooper had our group stop at Maiden Lane and Fuller, just below the U. of M. medical center. There is a plan being developed now to build an intermodal transit station in this area on city owned property.  East-west commuter rail and high speed rail would stop here and connect with buses, and there would be shower and locker facilities for commuting cyclists, as well as a bicycle repair shop.  The buses would include shuttle service to the north-south rail service.  An enclosed walkway would connect with the hospital, which is the region’s largest employer right now with expectations of continued growth.

Take Action
Times are tough just now for SE Michigan as the nation turns away from complete domination of transportation by cars and looks to alternative forms of transit.  Those who know and understand the advantages of bicycles need to work with government at local, state and national levels to insure that bikes will be included in the mix of future transportation choices.  Rides like this, with the participation of our mayor, his staff and other elected officials demonstrate that although we have a long way to go in Ann Arbor, we are working together to improve all modes of transportation.

Voice Your Concerns/Comments on the Best and Worst Streets of Ann Arbor:

• Contact your City Council Member or the Mayor of Ann Arbor
• Contact Eli Cooper, City of Ann Arbor Transportation Program Manager
• Get involved with the Wastenaw Biking and Walking Coalition