HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011 09 20 Gateway SmartTrip PC MemorandumMEMORANDUM CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
DATE OF WORK SESSION: September 20th, 2011
PLANNING COMMISSION
TO: Springfield Planning Commission TRANSMITTAL
MEMORANDUM
FROM: David Reesor, Senior Transportation Planner
SUBJECT: Gateway SmartTrips Program
ISSUE: Point2point Solutions has partnered with the City of Springfield and Lane Transit
District (LTD) to develop an individualized marketing program to educate and promote LTD’s
Gateway EmX service along with other transportation options such as bicycling and walking.
Point2point Solutions staff seek Planning Commission input to better develop program materials
and outreach efforts.
DISCUSSION: SmartTrips is a local, regional, and nationally recognized individualized
marketing approach to directly promote available transportation options to residents and
employees within a defined target area. In Oregon, both Portland and Eugene have developed
and conducted highly successful SmartTrips programs, which serve as a model for the new
Gateway SmartTrips program. Key objectives of the Gateway SmartTrips program include:
• Decreasing carbon emissions from driving trips
• Increasing walking, bicycling, and transit trips
• Increasing awareness of multimodal transportation resources and how to use them
• Establishing new long-term sustainable travel behaviors
Currently, project staff are developing materials and strategies to begin implementing the
program. The program will first target project area businesses beginning in winter of 2012,
followed by outreach to area residents in spring of 2012.
This project is funded for approximately one year through an Oregon Department of
Transportation (ODOT) Flexible Funds Grant. If Gateway SmartTrips proves to be a successful
program, Point2point Solutions and the City of Springfield may seek to implement similar
SmartTrips Programs along other corridors such as East Main Street in Springfield.
Project staff will present more detailed program information and facilitate a discussion at the
work session.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommend that the Planning Commission review the attached
SmartTrips Gateway brochure and project map and come prepared to provide comments at the
work session.
ACTION REQUESTED: Staff seek Planning Commission input to better develop program
materials and outreach efforts.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1: SmartTrips Gateway Brochure
Attachment 2: SmartTrips Gateway Map
SmartTrips Gateway
What is it? SmartTrips provides a fun,
interactive way for individuals and businesses
in a targeted area to receive information
tailored to their needs to help them in
reducing their drive‐alone trips and increase
the number of trips taken by walking,
bicycling, using transit, and carpooling.
SmartTrips was pioneered in Portland and was very successful in encouraging people to try transportation
alternatives. The City of Eugene has provided the program in four neighborhoods, and this year will mark
the first time the program will be offered in Springfield. Very exciting!
How will we do it? We will use individualized marketing to provide residents and businesses with
informational literature, free prizes, fun events, and organized programs. Businesses and residents
interested in assistance with trip planning can request information such as bike and pedestrian maps, bus
schedules and routes, and free carpool matching resources. In addition, there will be a variety of fun,
interactive community events such as a community bike swap, an EmX movie night, a historical walking
tour, and a series of bike safety and bicycle maintenance classes.
Who participates? Our target population is residents and businesses located within a quarter mile of
the Gateway EmX corridor‐ a total of approximately 5,000 households and 650 businesses.
Timeline: The business outreach portion of the program will be launched in the winter of 2012, and the
residential outreach will follow in early spring of 2012.
Community impacts: A wide range of transportation options allows people to save money, improve
their health, and improve the health of their community. By implementing this program in Springfield, we
hope to reduce drive alone trips and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the target area, increase awareness
and raise acceptability of all modes of travel, and establish new long‐term sustainable travel behaviors.
Similar programs in Portland have yielded substantial results nearly a 20% reduction in drive alone trips in
the target area.
SmartTrips is operated by point2point Solutions which is housed at Lane Transit District. In kind support is
being provided by the City of Springfield. For more information, please contact SmartTrips Program
Coordinator, Claire Otwell, at 541‐682‐6112 or claire.otwell@ltd.org.
Attachment 1-1
Smart Trips: Gateway
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|QJ LTD Stops
Attachment 2-1