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Week of Nov. 20, 2006
Keeping the air clean goes beyond political boundaries
 By next summer, King County will have taken delivery on two utility trucks just like this one -- only with a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system similar to those that run Metro's hybrid buses.
King County has a growing reputation for running a “clean-and-green” government. With a large fleet of hybrid cars and buses, widespread use of biodiesel fuel, innovative waste reduction programs, and preserving vast acreages of open space – King County has become a national role model.
These big ideas often spring from the creative minds of county employees, who develop special projects that spread into countywide initiatives and catch on at the regional and national levels.
Such was the case when King County pulled together more than a dozen government agencies to open up the market for the production of hybrid diesel-electric utility trucks. The purchase of the first 10 trucks by members of the Northwest Hybrid Truck Consortium was announced last week, but the idea began four years ago with Windell Mitchell, the director of the King County Department of Transportation’s Fleet Administration Division.
In 2002, Mitchell was selected to lead a national effort to negotiate the purchase of hybrid vehicles on behalf of all governmental agencies across the United States. The goal was to reduce the procurement price by volume purchase. Because of some manufacturers' constraints, a national contract did not work out. But, Mitchell saw the benefits of group buying and decided to work on a regional consortium that would have the same benefits.
“I realized that the problem of clean air does not recognize political boundaries,” said Mitchell. “In order for us to make a meaningful impact in the Puget Sound region, we needed to have a team effort.”
 Members of the consortium gathered on Nov. 15 to accept the $250,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency.
After attending a conference about the development of hybrid medium and heavy-duty trucks last year, Mitchell reached out to government fleet managers around the region. In November 2005, the Northwest Hybrid Truck Consortium was formed, including: King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Thurston counties; the cities of Bellevue, Renton, Tacoma, Seattle, Kent, Richland, Bremerton, and Everett; Seattle Public Utilities and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
The consortium also partners with WestStart-CALSTART, an advanced transportation technologies organization working on a hybrid truck commercialization strategy in conjunction with the U.S. Army. WestStart-CALSTART is the agency that handles the hybrid truck orders nationwide for the Hybrid Truck User Forum.
Mitchell said aside from the benefits of clean air, King County and the other consortium members gain from reducing dependence on fossil fuel, decreasing vehicle maintenance costs, and being involved in developing a cutting-edge technology that can be expanded into the private market. Once the market expands, the purchase price for each truck should begin to decrease.
King County has placed an order for two hybrid lift trucks that will be used to maintain traffic signals and streetlights. Other members of the consortium have ordered a drilling truck, a paramedic truck, general utility trucks, and flatbeds that can haul other vehicles or cranes. All together, consortium members have placed an initial order for nine trucks and one still to come.
Mitchell said the project would never have happened without the support of King County Executive Ron Sims, who has made the fight against global warming a priority for the county.
Under the leadership of Sims, the King County Department of Transportation has become one of the greenest transportation agencies in the nation. Vehicles throughout the department run on a mix of the cleanest diesel fuel available and 20-percent biodiesel. In addition to the purchase of hybrid trucks, the Fleet Division has also led the way for the use of hybrid passenger vehicles in government motor pools. King County Metro Transit already has more than 215 hybrid buses serving its transit passengers. And, the Road Services Division and Fleet use biodegradable or re-refined lubricants on all heavy equipment vehicles.
King County Metro Transit and several partners have introduced a project to see if new wheelchair-accessible taxicab service can provide more travel options for people who use wheelchairs. The program, the first of its kind in King County, is currently in the demonstration phase and deploys eight taxicabs to transport wheelchair users to destinations across most urban and suburban areas of the county. King County Metro Transit developed the project in partnership with the King County Licensing Division and the city of Seattle’s Consumer Affairs Division, which jointly issued dual taxicab licenses that are good in both Seattle and other parts of the county. Washington Accessible Taxis LLC, whose drivers are members of the Yellow Cab Association, provides the new service. The taxicabs provided by Metro are low-floor mini-vans that are ramp-equipped for easy passenger loading. They operate with the same fare structure as other local taxi service, and run 24-hours a day in the urban and suburban areas of the county. There are some size and weight restrictions for the wheelchairs. Detailed information can be found online. People who need a ride in a wheelchair-accessible taxi can call Yellow Cab at (206) 622-6500.
Metro will adjust its service this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. Sunday schedules will be in effect on all routes on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 23. Buses will operate on a reduced weekday schedule on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 24; and some commuter routes and selected trips in the University District will be cancelled. Metro customer service offices will be closed on both days. For all the details on holiday transit service, visit Metro Online.
On Sunday, Nov. 26, running of the Seattle Marathon [external link] will result in street closures, traffic delays and reroutes of some transit service along its course. The complete course, schedule and event information is available online. Bus service will be affected by temporary reroutes and schedule delays as Marathon participants are on the course. Streets that will be affected include: Fifth Avenue North in the Seattle Center area; Fifth Avenue in downtown Seattle; Fifth Avenue South in the International District; the Interstate 90 Bridge; Lake Washington Boulevard; and across the north end of Capitol Hill. While most impacts will end by 10 a.m., some areas - especially around the Seattle Center - may be affected until mid afternoon. Rider Alerts will be posted at all affected bus stops, advising transit customers of the expected time that service will be impacted, as well as alternate boarding locations. Complete information about transit service affected by this event will be in Metro Online. |
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During the month of November, people who travel along Des Moines Memorial Drive may notice banners highlighting the history of King County’s only “living” memorial. Des Moines Memorial Drive [external link] is an eight-mile stretch of road, which winds through local communities – SeaTac, Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, and the Boulevard Park area of unincorporated area of King County. In 1922, the memorial project involved the planting of 1,100 American elm trees to line the roadway as a "living" memorial to those who lost their lives in World War I. Over time, the impacts of disease, radical pruning and utility installations have decimated most of the elms. In January 2005, a corridor management plan was completed to re-emphasize the memorial. The first phase included memorial markers and interpretive elements in a segment of the drive maintained by the King County Road Services Division between South 99th Street and South 128th Street. The banners were developed this year both in honor of Veteran's Day and to call attention to the historic road. The next step in plan implementation is for the Des Moines Memorial Drive Advisory Committee to apply for designation of the drive as a state heritage corridor and/or state landmark in the coming year. 
The Seattle Seahawks will be featured on “Monday Night Football” next week on Nov. 27, as they host Green Bay in a 5:30 p.m. game at Qwest Field. Because it is a weekday game, those traveling to the stadium by bus should remember there will be no special shuttles from park-and-rides before the game – only after the action is over. If you’re going to the game, take regular bus service to Qwest Field, and then after the game use either regular Metro service or special shuttles to five outlying park-and-ride lots to get home for $3. Everyone should expect extra traffic congestion on Monday afternoon. Commuters may want to plan their trip home to avoid the south end of downtown, if possible, or adjust their work schedule to leave a little earlier on Monday. Bus passengers should expect traffic delays in the downtown and SODO areas. |
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