|
News from King County Department of Transportation
Release date:
June 27, 2008
Central Renton ‘In Motion’ program
encourages healthy travel, and provides options during I-405
construction
More than 80 Renton residents have already signed up with
King
County Metro Transit’s “In Motion” program to encourage healthier
travel. The pr ogram
is kicking off just as residents are dealing with major construction
along the Interstate 405 corridor.
The In Motion program is aimed at increasing the use of transit,
carpooling, bicycling and walking by providing information and
incentives to residents willing to take a pledge to drive less. Metro is
partnering with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
and Hopelink to provide people with travel information and incentives.
The Central Renton In Motion program supports WSDOT's I-405 construction
in Renton and Bellevue. This summer, WSDOT is widening I-405 between
Interstate 5 and State Route 169 in the Tukwila/Renton area. In
Bellevue, WSDOT is adding new lanes between 112th Avenue SE and SE 8th.
To widen the freeway in Bellevue, the state will close a section of
southbound I-405 to remove the Wilburton Tunnel north of Interstate 90
during three weekends in August. Although the tunnel is coming down,
WSDOT has you covered - visit the project
website for
details.
The In Motion program will help Renton residents find other ways to get
around during the construction – and the partners hope people like the
new options so much that they make permanent changes in the way they
travel.
Local residents are invited to sign up for the program and pledge to
reduce their drive-alone trips. Participants are eligible to win prizes
donated by local businesses and Metro free-ride tickets. The more people
reduce their driving and bus, bike, walk and share rides, the more often
and the more rewards they can receive. Local merchants will benefit,
too, from the increased emphasis on shopping locally.
The Renton plan is based on successful In Motion programs held
previously in various Seattle and Bellevue neighborhoods. Metro
estimates the popular programs have reduced more than 249,401 miles of
driving, 21,398 gallons of gas, and 415,120 pounds of CO2 emissions to
date in King County.
For more information about the Central Renton In Motion program, visit
the In Motion website.
Or call, Lori Ferrin at Hopelink at (425) 943-6769.
|