Take The City's Walk/Bike/Ride Challenge And Win Prizes

 

 
The City of Seattle is once again running their Walk Bike Ride Challenge, encouraging commuters to switch to walking and biking through August, to win great prizes.

The information says:

Almost half of the trips Americans make are within two miles—a walkable, bikeable distance. Shifting to active transportation helps people get in shape, save money and reduce greenhouse gases. We’ll send you information and encouragement throughout the program to help you create new travel habits. The more car trips you save, the more chances you have to win great prizes:

• Electric bike from e-Moto·        
• Apple iPad·        
• Pan Pacific Hotel stay·        
• Zipcar $250 gift card·        
• REI $100 gift card·        
• Nordstrom’s $100 gift card (supplied by Commute Seattle)·        
• $100 gift card good at seven farmers’ markets·        
• More great prizes

To participate:
1) Register here
2) Convert at least two car trips per week

3) Login to report your saved trips for the May & June round or the July & August round

The Walk/Bike/Ride Challenge is part of the Seattle Department of Transportation’s Way to Go, Seattle! program, encouraging people to walk, bike, ride transit and carpool more by offering incentives, tools and information. The challenge runs on a two month cycle, with the current one being for July and August. 

 

 

Take The Walk Bike Ride Challenge This Month

The City of Seattle has announced a new challenge for this month called Walk Bike Ride which begins this Sunday.

The press release says:

"Walk, bike and ride more to work, shop and play from July 4 to July 31.
 We invite people to walk, bike, and ride more to work, play, or shop and cut two car trips a week during the month of July."

Each week you can report your two saved car trips, or you can report all your weeks at the end of this month. 

Each time you report a week you’re entered in a drawing to win the following prizes:

• $1,500 electric bike provided by e-Moto and REI
• One hotel night at Pan Pacific Hotel at South Lake Union
• $250 REI gift certificate
• Free Zipcar membership and $100 of free usage provided by Zipcar - a $175 value
• Dinner for two at The Georgian in the Fairmont Olympic Hotel

Click here for more information and to register.

This month's Challenge is part of Mayor McGinn’s Walk Bike Ride Initiative to help make walking, biking and riding transit the easiest ways to get around the city. 

Here is a post we did last month on the initiative.

4th of July Bike Parade and Picnic Thursday At The Park

July 4th is just around the corner.

And you can get started early at the annual family 4th of July Picnic and Parade at the Laurelhurst Park on Thursday from 6-8pm.

Young and old alike are invited to bring their bikes to the park and deck them out with all sorts of fun red, white and blue decorations provided by the Laurelhurst Community Center.

Pictured above is a bike from last year's event.

At 6:30 the bike Parade begins around the park loop to show off the festive bikes.

After there will be a picnic and some fun lawn games as well as  an inflatable toy for little ones.

And at 7:30 there will be marshmallow roasting at the firepit.

This is an all  ages event and costs $3 per person or $10 per family.

If you are interested in volunteering contact the Community Center at 684-7529 or just show up.
 
One of our staffers went last year and said it was lots of fun!

Tonight City Seeking Input on Walk Bike Ride Initiative

"What needs to change in your neighborhood to make walking, biking, and riding transit easy?  Is it a closer bus stop? More sidewalks? More in-city rail transportation? More bike lanes? More pedestrian spaces?"

This question and others will be on the agenda for tonight's Walk Bike Ride Community Meeting hosted by the Mayor at the Northgate Community Center from 6-7:30pm.

In light of the March pedestrian/car accident at a very busy intersection in Laurelhurst, it's a good topic to think about.

"Walk Bike Ride is a multi-year initiative that will support projects and programs that make walking, biking, and riding transit the easiest ways to get around in Seattle," the website says.

The information goes on to say: "We are prepared to commit to that path by prioritizing walking, biking and transit in how we use our streets, how we spend our dollars, and how we collaborate with county, state and federal governments,"

We will work to develop a budget for 2011-12 that will focus on maintaining local streets, which are key for walkers, bikers and transit and will look to live up to the City’s commitment to expand opportunities for funding the bicycle and pedestrian master plans."

And one of the mission statements is to "Prioritize right-of-way space to emphasize walking, biking and riding."

Attendees will get information on what types of projects are possible, and will be able to fill out a ballot that will help the city prioritize the types of transportation projects to pursue.

If you can't go to the meeting, the ballot is also available online.