Portland Green Streets

Sign in now here (click here) – Please take a minute and sign in now (and every month!) if you plan to walk, bike, take public transit, carpool, and/or telecommute this Green Streets Day – Friday, December 26th. (Click here and scroll down our main page to see who qualifies as a Green Streeter – anyone can do it!)

And read the rest of this entry (scroll down this post) for the freebies, discounts, and raffle items from local businesses – for those in Greater Portland who:

• Wear Green (shirt, pants, socks, whatever!)
• and Get Around Green (walk, bike, take transit, carpool, telecommute, etc.) on Green Streets Day!

Also – as this Green Streets Day is again over the holidays – please e-mail us photos of you (& any other folks!) traveling green at PortlandGreenStreets@yahoo.com! And if you’re sticking around like some of us, we’d love to see photos of wherever you are on Green Streets/Boxing Day.   Note: We hope to have a special green travel form for you to enter longer than around-Greater-Portland trips next month!

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Come in out of the cold!  In the dead of frigid, dark winter, we suspect our primitive forebears would huddle around a campfire for warmth, telling stories to keep their spirits up. (And no doubt imbibing some warm spirits too!) On January 14th, Green Streeters and members of the Portland Bicycle Commuting Meetup will carry on the tradition! And don’t worry, we’ll be inside at the cozy Homegrown Herb & Tea!

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John Brooking of the Portland Bike Commuter Meetup writes:

“I live in Westbrook, and I normally commute to John Roberts Road in South Portland, which is behind the mall, about 5 miles each way. I end up riding into downtown Portland a lot as well, usually after work, and back home to Westbrook afterwards. I try to make the bike my primary transportation, only driving the car if I have a really good reason to. Our family has one car, used primary by my wife during the week, and for going places as a family on weekends. (We have two kids ages 8 and 10)…[For the November Green Streets Day he says: I] Had the day off from work, but biked to the grocery store and bank.” John photographed here on a day with an especially wintry bike commute.

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Last Free Fare Friday

This Green Streets Day will also be the last holiday Free Fare Friday on all local bus services. Celebrate the end of the season with one (or more!) free rides on METRO, South Portland Bus Service, Shuttlebus, and ZOOM.  For route, schedule, and fare information, check out:

• METRO service to Falmouth, Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook
• South Portland Bus Service in South Portland and Portland. 
• Shuttlebus Intercity service between Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, and Old Orchard Beach
• Shuttlebus Tri-Town service between Biddeford, Saco, and Old Orchard Beach
• Zoom Turnpike Express service between Biddeford, Saco and Portland
• Want to try putting your bike on the bus? METRO, South Portland Bus and Shuttlebus all have bike racks. Here’s a great video to show you how to do it ahead of time – and when in doubt you can always ask the driver.
• For public transit information all over Maine, definitely check out the Explore Maine website.

Note: All South Portland Bus riders can enter the drawing for a special Holiday 20-ride bus pass. Four winners will be picked on Dec. 26th!

METRO Route #1 and Route #6 Changes

Beginning January 12, 2009, Greater Portland Transit District (METRO) will provide weekday service (M-F) to Mercy at the Fore. METRO Route #1 will be extended to provide service to Mercy’s Fore River Campus, located on the Fore River Parkway, past St. John Street in Portland. There is no evening service (last scheduled weekday stop at Mercy at the Fore is at 5:53 p.m.), holiday or weekend service to Mercy at the Fore.

Important notice to all METRO riders: This extended service will change the current METRO #1 Route time schedule, and will impact bus service for ALL stops along the #1 Route.

The updated METRO Bus #1 Route and Time Schedule can be downloaded here (pdf), effective date – January 11, 2009 (listed on the front of all schedules).  It will also be available – beginning in January – from bus operators, at the METRO Pulse at Elm Street, and online at www.gpmetrobus.com. For more information, please call METRO at 774-0351.

Also effective in January, METRO Route #6 will no longer provide (twice daily) service to Maine Ave. and Virginia Street.

South Portland Bus Service

Our latest organizational sponsor (sign in to win a Ten Ride Ticket this month!), the South Portland Bus Service, provides three routes in and around South Portland.  This includes service into downtown Portland to connect with the Greater Portland METRO on Congress Street – with free transfers to increase service area coverage through Portland and to Falmouth, and Westbrook.

Route 1- Willard Square runs from 6:30 AM to 7:45 PM and covers Meeting House Hill, Southern Maine Community College (SMCC), Ferry Village, Waterfront Market areas into Downtown Portland.

Route 3 – Crosstown runs from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM and covers The Meeting House Hill, Southern Maine Community College (SMCC), Ferry Village, Waterfront Market, Stanwood Park, Cash Corner, West Broadway, Redbank, and into the Maine Mall and surrounding retail area

Route 4 – Maine Mall runs from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM and covers the Maine Mall and surrounding retail area, Thorton Heights, Cash Corner, Pleasantdale, Waterfront Market areas,  and into Downtown Portland.

Additional information to know:

• Regular fare is $1.25  / 10-ride ticket is $11.00
• Student fare is $1.00 with school I.D. / 10-ride ticket is $9.00
• Seniors and disabled .60 cents with proper I.D. / 10-ride ticket is $5.50
• All buses are lift equipped and wheelchair accessible
• Bicycle racks on all buses with no additional charge, rack holds two bicycles
• For more information call us at 767-5556, e-mail rsargent@spsd.org or visit their web page
• The Bus Service office is located at 46 O’Neil St. South Portland, Maine 04106. Business hours are 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and for schedule info 6:00 am – 10:30 PM.
• South Portland Bus promotions include: All brand-new riders looking to start using the bus can get a free 10-ride bus ticket to learn the system. Anyone buying the SoPo Bus 10-ride tickets can turn them in when they are used up to any driver – with name and address written on the back- and enter it into a drawing for a free 10-ride bus ticket; 4 winners picked each Friday. South Portland residents should also check their Super Coupon Mailer for free ride coupons for the SoPo Bus! For more info, contact Richard Sargent at rsargent@southportland.org

Thanks so much to all of you who signed in with your participation in Green Streets Day, Friday, November 28th!

Due to the Thanksgiving break we knew we’d take a dive in documented participants – hope everyone had a lovely holiday (and know that it still counts if you’re getting around green on vacation)!  With people able to report others going green at their locations, we have an estimated number of 107 total participants – and there were 31 of you tried-and-true folks signing in:

• 5 walking, 8 biking, 6 taking the bus, train or ferry, 5 carpooling or vanpooling, 2 telecommuting, and 5 using multiple modes (i.e., some combination of the above)!
• collectively saving 295 single-occupancy vehicle miles! (many of you saving those kinds of miles every day)
• keeping approximately $25 in gas money in your wallets!
• improving our air quality & individual health, & reducing our CO₂ emissions by approximately 248 pounds!
• enjoying the opportunity to get outdoors a bit more and/or share transportation with others
• starting (& continuing) a fun and important conversation with the people of our community about how we get around!

Note: please continue to sign in every month – and please talk to other Green Streets participants about doing so as well. It helps us with participation data, like number of miles saved, commuting methods used, etc!

Now! The winners for this month’s raffle items are:

• EVERYONE WHO SIGNED IN! – $5 off your take-out order of $35 or more from any of 2 Dine In’s restaurant partners! Coupon good through December 26, 2008 – just place your order online and give this Green Streets coupon code: C207089
• CARLIN WHITEHOUSE - A copy of the local Eastern Trail Guide (from Kittery to Casco Bay!) from the Eastern Trail Alliance!
• JAMIEN RICHARDSON – A $50 gift certificate to the Maine Running Company!
• DEIDRE SMITH – One gear pack (water bottle, insulated lunch bag and ball cap) from Healthy Portland!
• ELLIOTT TEEL – One free pint of Others! famous gelato!
• SALLY STRUEVER – Two free tickets for the Greater Portland METRO Bus!
• JOSEPH COE – A 6 month subscription from Port City Life Magazine!
• JEFF COLLINS – Free admission tickets to the Children’s Museum of Maine!
• BEN DAVIS – One free pair of Bridgedale or SmartWool socks from Nomads!
• ALEXA KEENAN – A wicked cool cotton-brimmed hat – from WMPG – Greater Portland Community Radio!
• JOHN MISENER – A $10 gift card to O’Naturals!
• CHRISTINA FELLER – A $25 gift certificate for deliveries from 2 Dine In!

Winners will be notified how to claim their prizes.

Thanks again to the Eastern Trail Alliance, Others!, Maine Running Company, O’Naturals, the Children’s Museum, Nomads, Port City Life, METRO, WMPG, 2 Dine In, and Healthy Portland, for your gifts to the Portland Green Streets initiative!

Have a great month out there going green and please take note:

• Enjoy Free Fare Fridays on all local buses through the end of the year!
  
• Don’t forget the Stuff-a-Bus event this Friday, the East End Stroll this Saturday, the upcoming Bike Commuter Meetups and all the rest! (See here for more info on upcoming events and opportunities.)