Portland Green Streets

Each month Portland Green Streets interviews an individual or a group that uses sustainable transportation. By sharing our experiences we can encourage others to “go green” too. Please email portlandgreenstreets@gmail.com if you’re interested in sharing your own story!

This month, PGS intern Morgan Malley interviewed three bicycle commuters, Evan Lovely, Ahlya Whitten, and Tracy Treubig, at cPort Credit Union on Riverside Industrial Parkway in Portland to learn more about their commitment to sustainable transportation. Commuting distances for the group range from 1-6 miles, and their list of the positive impacts from biking to work is impressive (increased energy, weight loss, financial savings, stress relief and time savings). Due to these factors, Evan has decided to lead a carless lifestyle! For the full interview, click here to visit the Portland Green Streets website.

…the City of Portland wants to know! The city, in collaboration with the Portland Area Transportation System (PACTS), is holding a public meeting on June 22nd from 5:30 – 8:00pm to discuss safety, mobility and land development along Forest Ave between Park Ave and Woodford’s Corner. They will explore alternatives to make this section of Forest Ave safer and more appealing for drivers, bikers, transit riders and walkers. The meeting will be held at the Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall behind City Hall at 20 Myrtle Street. This is a great opportunity for Green Streeters to voice our opinions on current conditions and improvements for this busy avenue.

TDM2go is a web-based transportation planning tool designed to help employers reduce parking costs, decrease traffic congestion, improve improve air quality and provide a low-cost benefit for their employees through effective Transportation Demand Management (TDM). TDM utilizes a variety of strategies to help reduce travel demand for, in particular, single-occupancy vehicles used to commute to work. The web site was developed by the City of Portland with a $20,000 grant from the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS). To learn more, go to www.TDM2go.info.

John Brooking, Bicycle Traffic Safety Educator, is offering a series of bike education  courses designed specifically to help the transportational bicyclist be able to travel with confidence and safety anywhere. Appropriately, the program motto is”Empowerment for Unlimited Travel”. Three sessions are offered, which may be taken á la carte or as a package and include “Train Your Bike” consisting of a set of progressive drills conducted in a parking lot, “Truths & Techniques of Traffic Cycling” which is a classroom session, and  the Tour of Portland is an experiential learning ride through some of Portland’s challenge areas.

Additional details and a link to the registration form are found here: http://www.cyclingsavvy.org/maine

Calling all Green Streeters! Come join Meredith at the PGS Drop-in Volunteer Social this month at Local Sprouts Café from 6:00-7:00 on Thursday, June 23rd! Local Sprouts Café is located at 649 Congress Street in Portland. We would love to hear about your interests and ideas for sustainable transportation!

About PGS Socials: Every fourth Thursday of the month we hold a Green Streets Drop-In Volunteer Social. It’s a chance for Green Streets volunteers to get some solo or group work done in a supportive social atmosphere, so just: bring yourself and/or a friend, come hear about some volunteer possibilities if you’re new – or if you’re already volunteering, bring a task to work on, grab a coffee, bounce questions and ideas off other organizers. Come when you can – leave when you need to. We’re excited to see you there!

On June 15th, Morgan Malley our PGS intern traveled to cPort Credit Union in Portland to ask their bike commuters a few questions about their experience using sustainable transportation. This is what we learned:

How did this group start? What was the motivation to start biking to work? How long have you been biking to work? How far is your commute?

Evan Lovely:  Started out of necessity for financial reasons, which led to a carless lifestyle choice

• • This started a movement in the office for additional employees to commute by bike
    • Ahlya Whitten: 1.5 miles away
    • Evan Lovely: 6 miles away
    • Tracy Treubig: 1 mile away

What are some of the benefits you’ve noticed/ gained from biking to work?

• Financial savings: with increasing gas prices, a lot of $ is saved each month (All)
• Improved fitness and stamina:  Lost 15 lbs. in the last 2 months
  • Biking has led to increased energy and transition to working out regularly (All)
• Time Saver: more direct, faster route to work (Evan, lives on the hill)
• Enjoyable/Stress Reliever: kick starts the day and lets you unwind after work (All)
  • Alleviate the congestion of being in traffic (Ahlya)
• Environmentally conscious: decreases carbon footprint (All)
• Enjoyable and easy!!! (All)

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced on the road or in general in biking as a primary mode of transportation?

• Very little, the largest being the weather (Evan)
• Despite lack of bike infrastructure (i.e. bike racks, lanes, ect) the most challenging aspect is just getting started, matter of preparation (All)
  • Everyone noted it was much easier than they thought

Does cPort offer any benefits to employees for using sustainable transportation?

• No current benefits per say, but provided new bike rack promptly
• Carpool program for employees (Tracy participates frequently)
• June 24^th every employee who participates in sustainable transportation, name goes into raffle for Panera Bread gift certificate

Any good stories from the road?

•  Amazed at how much better you feel in the morning (All)
• Tracy: “Gets the endorphins going and gives you a sense of accomplishment every day before you even start working”

Any advice for others considering trying new ways to get to work?

• Tracy: “The biggest challenge is mentally, getting committed to doing it”
• Evan: “You don’t realize how much time you spend in the car until you stop driving one”
• Ahlya: “Try it out!”