South Park Business Outreach

By Melanie Mayock, Outreach Coordinator Duwamish TMA

Goals:

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Gather input about bicycle and pedestrian conditions and needed improvements Learn about typical employee commuting choices and opportunities/challenges for using other commute modes Generate employer interest in Commuter Benefit programs for employees

Commuter Benefit Programs   Make it easier & cheaper for employees to use transit/light rail/Sounder/ vanpools/vanshare Examples include:  Providing a free bus pass to employees  Offering a pre-tax deduction for transit expenses

Commuter Benefit Programs Outreach included flyers for businesses in English and Spanish.

Methods:

  Interviews Conducted in-depth interviews with South Park businesses (both retail and manufacturing) Door-to-Door Outreach Included conversations with retail businesses on 14 th Street, which included Spanish interpretation from Feet First and a flyer about non-motorized commute modes, employer incentive programs and federal pre-tax commuter program

Employers Contacted to date:

Industrial:

 The Gear Works             Marine Lumber Seidelhuber Iron & Bronze Works Northwest Grating Products North Star Ice Puget Sound Coatings Washington Lifttruck Alaska Marine Lines Seafreeze Cold Storage Continental Van Lines Wooldridge Boats Ace Galvanizing The Revere Group

Other:

 Seamar (employee survey)             Pioneer Human Services Concord Elementary School Loretta's Canine Outfitters Via Vadi Caffe Jalisco Restaurant Contigo Tikal Bakery Juan Colorado Muy Macho Discount Foods Video Mar

Employers contacted to date

Bold dots indicate employers contacted.

What We Heard:

Industrial Businesses

Employee Commutes:   Almost all employees drive to work alone Challenges for employees to use alternative transportation:  Afternoon/evening shifts    Long-distance commutes Poor transit to South Park Physical jobs – too tired to bike commute

What We Heard:

Industrial Businesses

Bicycling:   Some concerns about trucks, cars, and bicycles sharing the same roads in industrial areas Frustration when bicyclists don ’ t follow the rules of the road Recommendation:  Educate cyclists to follow rules of the road

What We Heard:

Industrial Businesses

Walking:   Most did not have input or recommendations for pedestrian improvements If sidewalks are proposed for the arterial route on 5th Ave, Holden, and Kenyon, businesses may have concerns about parking impacts

What We Heard:

Industrial Businesses

Other Issues:   Road maintenance: Re-paving of arterial streets and paving of non-arterials is a major priority.

South Park Bridge closure: Will negatively affect freight travel, deliveries, and employee commutes These issues are consistent with concerns detailed in the South Park Action Agenda.

What We Heard:

Retail Businesses

Improvements Needed:       Bike route signage at 14th & Cloverdale Additional trash cans on 14th St Additional lighting on side streets Bus schedules at all bus stops Reduce loitering at bus stops – signs, police enforcement, etc.

Replace the South Park Bridge!

These issues are consistent with concerns detailed in the South Park Action Agenda.

What We Heard:

Sea Mar Employee Survey

Sea Mar employees in South Park participated in a transportation survey about non-motorized commuting (biking & walking), through their employee transportation coordinator. Reasons given for not biking/walking:  Distance (18 people)     Inclement Weather (5 people) Lack of showers at work (5 people) Schedule conflicts (5 people) Lack of bicycle trails, lanes (3 people) Sea Mar, South Park ’ s largest employer, is a Commute Trip Reduction affected business. This requires them to maintain an employee transportation coordinator and on-site transportation program.

What would inspire you to bike or walk?

What we heard:    Incentives: Giveaways or raffles for bikers/walkers Bicycle amenities: Showers & bike storage at the worksite Bicycle access in and out of South Park from neighboring communities A top priority for manufacturing businesses is a comprehensive funded road pavement program.

On-Going Business Outreach

Door-to-door outreach to South Park businesses is ongoing, to gather additional input and promote commuting alternatives. Please feel free to provide business and/or contact referrals.