In this Issue, May 9, 2017
Bike to Work Day

It's coming up on June 28, so mark your calendar, and start planning your breakfast station stops and group rides now. Bike to Work Day is an annual event to celebrate our seasoned commuters and give new riders a chance to try bike commuting in a fun and supportive environment. 

This year's motto is "Bike today for a better tomorrow," bringing awareness to the many lasting benefits of bike commuting ---   it's a healthy way to get around, saves time and money, reduces traffic congestion and improves our air quality.

Participant registration is vital to collecting data that will inform decisions on support for bike commuting, including infrastructure such as bike paths and bike lanes, and advocacy on behalf of all cyclists. Plus, registered participants are eligible to win prizes, so don't miss out. Registration is now open.

New this year is Chipotle Day on June 21, one week prior to Bike to Work Day. Stop by Chipotle for your favorite burrito or bowl, and feel good knowing half of all Chipotle sales proceeds that day will go to Bike to Work Day ---   be sure to mention "Bike to Work Day" for your purchase to be counted.
 
Way to Go Champion award winners  


Congrats to our 2017 Way to Go award winners, who were honored April 26 at the Denver Regional Council of Governments annual awards celebration! These individuals and organizations are leading the charge on making smart commuting an easier and more accessible choice. 

Meet the champions: 

Workplace Champion: Jeff Conn

"I have to applaud Jeff for the daunting challenge of establishing communications throughout multiple agencies of the federal center. What a trail blazer!" 
- judge comment 

Jeff Conn worked steadily with the Way to Go program to open up communications between the once-isolated federal departments and agencies in the region. Through his efforts, 14 employee transportation coordinators were identified, and a burgeoning interest in employee transportation options has taken hold at the Denver Federal Center and the Byron Rogers Federal Building.



Community Champion: Adam Schlegel

"Snooze's bicycle corral is helping to meet increasing bicycle parking demand, improve the pedestrian realm and support the citywide strategic multimodal transportation goals." 
- nominator comment

Adam Schlegel, owner of Snooze A.M. Eatery, began advocating for on-street bicycle corrals in 2012. His initial request to the City of Denver was denied due to safety concerns and the lack of a permitting process. Undeterred, Schlegel did his research and worked with the city to gain support for on-street bike parking. Denver's first on-street corral was installed in 2014. In February 2017, a loading zone adjacent to Snooze was converted into an on-street bike corral, allowing 10 patrons to park.



Commuter of the Year: John Meiners

Quote: "Kudos to the endless effort needed to coordinate and sustain vanpooling over so many years. It is impressive."
- judge comment

Over the past 20 years, John Meiners has become a vanpooling pro. He joined a vanpool group that has been on the road for 40 years, and has vanpooling down to a science: to-the-minute departures, detours for the rising sun and early trips back for snowy days. Meiners has worked hard to preserve the vanpool, recruiting new riders when members leave the group due to new jobs or new homes. Meiners' group is the longest running vanpool in the Denver region.

Employer Champion: SendGrid


"In the short time since the program launched in November 2016, SendGrid's Commute Alternatives program has made a remarkable impact on productivity, congestion mitigation and the environment."
 - nominator

Tech leader SendGrid teamed up with WeDriveU to launch Colorado's first Wi-Fi enabled shuttle service, connecting SendGrid's Boulder and Longmont employees to its new headquarters in Denver. SendGrid provides employees with a comfortable mobile office with amenities such as work tables, power outlets and a mobile rideshare app that tracks transit schedules in real time.

Save the 'Zone

With Earth Day just past, there's no better way to do your part for the environment than by opting to walk, bike, bus or take transit in lieu of driving. Did you know that more than 1 million (17 percent) of the Denver region's daily drive-alone trips are 2 miles or less? Vehicle emissions are a major contributor to ground-level pollution, and these short trips greatly impact air quality over time.

Save the 'Zone, a new partnership between Bicycle Colorado, the City of Lakewood and the Regional Air Quality Council, aims to reduce ground-level ozone by encouraging active, public and shared transportation. 

On Earth Day, Save the 'Zone distributed resources and hosted a gliding station for kids to practice their balance on a bike during the City of Lakewood's community event. The organization is also distributing coloring books with an air-quality and active transportation theme in elementary schools throughout Lakewood.
Around the region
 

The R line is here! 

The Regional Transportation District's newest line, the R Line, brings light rail service through the heart of Aurora. The 10.5 miles of new light rail connects the existing track at Nine Mile Station up Interstate 225 to the Peoria Station on the
University of Colorado A Line. The new R Line provides easy connections to the University of Colorado A Line and the H Line, making it easier than ever to get to the airport, the Denver Tech Center or downtown Denver.

Free HOV passes for carpoolers

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) are making HOV passes free to Interstate 25 and U.S. Route 36 Express Lanes carpoolers.

Previously, passes cost $15 for all drivers, but the organizations made the change to make carpooling an easier mode of travel. Drivers who use any other tolled roads (Interstate 70 Mountain Express Lane, E-470 or Northwest Parkway) are not eligible for the free pass. Read more on the free pass, including eligibility and restrictions.

TransForum 

Smart Commute Metro North, the Way to Go program provider of the north Denver metropolitan area, is hosting its fifth  annual TransForum event on Monday, June 19. This breakfast event will feature futurist Thomas Frey, who will give a glimpse into the forces that are shaping the future of transportation, from ultra-fast travel to robotics and drone technology. Joining Frey is Peter Muller, President of PRT Consulting, highlighting a "personal rapid transit system" being used in the U.K. that has potential for first- and last-mile travel in the U.S. Learn more and register.

Multi-Station Plan and Mobility Study

Transportation Solutions and OV Consulting have been cooperating with the City and County of Denver on the Multi-Station Plan and Mobility Study for Colorado and University stations! Join other interested stakeholders from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, at Salem Church of Christ (5300 E Florida Ave.) to review draft recommendations for the future of the two station areas. If you are unable to attend the meeting, leave a comment or question on the project website.
 
Boulder Transportation Connection welcomes new leaders 

Boulder Transportation Connections, a Way to Go transportation demand management partner, has welcomed new leadership. In March, Boulder Transportation Connections added three new board members: Ben Bayer of Google, Craig Belgard of Medtronic and Chelsea Castellano of University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.
The organization also elected new officers to its the board:
  •  David Cook of the University of Colorado-- Boulder as president
  •  Jared Hall of Boulder County as vice president and secretary
  •  Lyndsey Drake of Markit as treasurer

Thank you, Bike to Work Day sponsors  

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