|
Week of Sep. 24, 2007
King County leads way in the use of clean vehicle technology
This new hybrid truck will be used to maintain King County traffic signals. | King County just became the first government agency in the nation to add Paccar hybrid vehicle technology to its work force, with the delivery of a hybrid aerial lift truck that will be used to maintain county traffic signals.The Clean Vehicles Now! Conference hosted last week by King County showcased ways to use alternative fuels and clean-vehicle technology to combat climate instability and fossil fuel dependence. With dozens of the newest clean vehicles either on the road or on order, the King County Department of Transportation (KCDOT) is already ahead of the pack in this area. "King County and its partners have reached out to manufacturers to bring home the latest in clean-vehicle technology," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Not only do we operate a large fleet of hybrid passenger vehicles and transit buses, but we are also breaking ground by diversifying our work fleet." KCDOT has fully embraced clean fuels and hybrid technology. Almost all of the department’s large vehicles operate with a combination of biodiesel and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel. Then in addition to Metro Transit’s 214 hybrid buses, there are more than 167 hybrid passenger vehicles in the county fleet. In the past week, a hybrid lift truck reported for duty, soon to be joined by two more. Some of the county’s existing hybrid cars are undergoing electric plug-in conversions, and there are two new cars in the fleet that run on natural gas. The next step could be electric-only light and medium-duty work trucks. “We are always in the market for new hybrid or alternate-technology vehicles, and more and more are being produced every day,” said Windell Mitchell, director of the King County Fleet Administration Division. “King County is one of the first government agencies in the Northwest to make this kind of commitment to clean-vehicle technology. We are constantly looking at ways to decrease our use of diesel and gasoline and find vehicles that produce fewer emissions.” Here’s a look at the newest clean, green members of the county fleet: Hybrid work truck – The new King County hybrid truck is a T-270 Kenworth hybrid and will be used to maintain traffic signals throughout King County. King County Fleet Administration worked closely with Kenworth and Paccar to purchase the first Kenworth hybrid sold to a government agency and the very first hybrid truck used in an aerial lift application. The truck is powered by a Paccar PX-6 diesel engine, which will operate with B-20 biodiesel – a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.
More plug-in conversion vehicles will soon be added to King County's fleet. | The hybrid lithium-ion battery pack will power the truck up to 30 mph and operate the aerial lift. This function will provide up to a 60 percent reduction in fuel consumption over current non-hybrid trucks. These types of trucks are stationary for long periods of time, and with this model crews can work from the lift without running the truck’s engine.Another great benefit is that the work area is much quieter for both workers and nearby residents. And, it will result in fewer trips back and forth to the fuelling station. Exhaust greenhouse emissions will also be reduced substantially due to the B-20 diesel fuel and hybrid operation – up to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Plug-in hybrid cars – A plug-in conversion adds up to 30 additional miles of electric-only driving range to a standard Toyota Prius, and can provide up to 100 miles per gallon in an urban setting. The added plug-in battery pack can be recharged in five hours using a standard household 110-volt current via the onboard built-in charger. The system does not modify the stock hybrid system, and can be deactivated at any time with a push of a button, reverting back to the standard Toyota configuration. The system is designed to support new battery chemistry as it becomes available.
Green up your commute with personalized planning With the reopening of Metro’s Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, there’s never been a better time to ride the bus. If you’re overwhelmed by all the choices, you can get personalized help at an upcoming “Plan Your Commute” session. Metro staff will help you find your best travel options whether by bus, train, carpool, vanpool, or bike. They will provide you with the tools to get you started, and special rewards for trying new travel options. Plan Your Commute sessions will be held in different locations in downtown Seattle both this week and next. Visit the Tools to Keep You Moving website for more details.
The King County Road Services Division is hosting a drop-in open house on Wednesday, Oct. 3 to preview plans for improving the intersection at 212th Avenue Northeast and Woodinville-Duvall Road east of Cottage Lake. The county is planning to construct a westbound left-turn lane and an eastbound right-turn lane on Woodinville-Duvall Road to increase safety at the intersection. A portion of 212th Avenue Northeast will be realigned to improve visibility for motorists, and a new traffic signal will be installed. The work is expected to start in the spring of 2008. The open house will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Bear Creek Elementary School, 18101 Avondale Rd., Woodinville. For information about the meeting, contact Barbara deMichele at (206) 263-3792 or email her at: Barbara.demichele@kingcounty.gov. |
|
Huskies host top-ranked USC this Saturday The University of Washington football team will host the top team in the nation this weekend, when the USC Trojans march into Husky Stadium. Riding the bus to the game is a convenient and free alternative to dealing with the hassles of driving and parking. The Huskies will be offering free Metro service to the stadium. In addition to regular bus service to and from Montlake campus, there is also special shuttle service between the stadium and eight park-and-ride lots: Shoreline; Northgate Transit Center; Houghton; Kingsgate; South Kirkland; Eastgate; South Renton; and Federal Way. Just show your game ticket or ticket stub for a free ride on regular bus service or the special shuttles. Check out Metro Online for all the details.
Last homestand for Mariners The Mariners baseball season dwindles to an end this week with a final homestand against the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers. This includes a double-header on Wednesday, Sept. 26. The first game starts at 4:05 p.m., so the second game will probably get over very late that night. For weekday and weeknight games, you can ride Metro’s regular service to Qwest Field. After the game, either ride regular service home or take one of the special shuttles to several outlying park-and-ride lots. The shuttle fare is $3 one way. For regular service to the game, Metro’s convenient online Trip Planner allows you to easily research which routes provide the best connection from your home or office to the ballpark. Detailed information for all Mariners service is available on Metro Online. Or, call (206) 553-3000 (voice) or (206) 684-1739 (TTY). | Subscribe to DOT DashSign-up to receive an e-mail text version of "Transportation Today," along with other significant DOT news by sending an e-mail to us with subscribe King County DOT Dash in the subject line.
|
