Biogen Idec Plugs In

The buzz around plug-in electric vehicles has been livelier than ever in North Carolina, and RTP is certainly becoming a hub of activity for the technology.  RTI unveiled two new electric vehicle charging stations back in November, and just this past Tuesday,  Biogen Idec held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for ten new electric vehicle charging stations at its RTP campus.

Back in November, I had the opportunity to participate in Biogen Idec’s multi-day Sustainability Fair for employees, and got a chance to hear about the exciting work they were doing to bring these charging stations to fruition and procure funding incentives to encourage employees to purchase or lease electric vehicles.  On Tuesday, Biogen Idec’s work paid off, and they cut the ribbon for their new stations, the first for any of their worldwide locations.

Biogen Idec purchased the charging stations with support from the Carolina Blue Skies Initiative, a project led by Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG), with $12 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.  Biogen Idec has the distinction of being the first organization in the Triangle to successfully deploy electric charging stations under this initiative.

Biogen Idec installed ten Level 2 charging stations at their RTP Campus.

Pat Hoy was one of the four employees that took advantage of the incentive provided to Biogen Idec employees through Advanced Energy to purchase a Nissan Leaf.  He received a $7500 stipend to offset the purchase price and will also receive a $7500 tax credit.  Speaking briefly at the ceremony, Pat mentioned that one of the greatest benefits of owning a plug-in electric vehicle is that it allows him to bypass the gas station.  “I haven’t been to a gas station in three and half weeks since I’ve owned the car… There aren’t too many other people that can say that.”  He also highlighted some of the technological benefits, such as being able to remotely pre-cool the car’s interior using his smartphone (as long as the car is plugged in).   Read more »

Bus on Shoulder in the Triangle – 1st Road Test Complete!

Guest post by Brad Schulz, Triangle Transit Communications Officer

If you’re like me, you start your car already late for work. Once you’re finally on I-40, you lead foot it – hoping you can make up a few minutes and can get to the office on time if traffic will, for once, cooperate. But as sure as Murphy made a law, it doesn’t happen. Traffic slows to a crawl. You’re gripping the wheel and watching the minutes tick by, wondering what the boss will say when you finally get to work.

Now imagine this– as you’re stuck in that traffic you look in your rear view mirror and see a Triangle Transit bus on the shoulder. No, it’s not having mechanical problems. In fact, it’s the only thing moving as it pulls by you on the shoulder while you stay super glued in another congested weekday commute.  Suddenly you wish you were on the bus instead of mired in traffic.

Fantasy? Nope. It’s not a dream. Triangle Transit, the Regional Transportation Alliance and the NC Department of Transportation recently did just that – ran a road test of a full size transit bus on shoulder. If the planets align for weary travelers, North Carolina’s first bus on shoulder demonstration project could be a reality by summer.

Where would it run? It would operate westbound on I-40 between the Durham Freeway (NC 147) and the 15-501 Exit. Eastbound buses could travel on the shoulder between 15-501 and Page Road. If the NCDOT approves the plan, signs would clearly let drivers know they could see a bus beside them on the right.

When would it run? Triangle Transit buses with trained operators could only use the shoulders when travel speeds are below 35 MPH in the main lanes, and buses could only travel up to 15 MPH faster than other vehicles. If there’s a car in the breakdown lane or an emergency on the shoulder, the bus driver can’t use it.

Has this worked in other places? Before you think we just dreamed this up, Minnesota’s Department of Transportation implemented the idea around 20 years ago, with nearly 300 shoulder-miles in use today. More than 10 states now use bus on shoulder lanes and no state has discontinued a bus on shoulder program once it began.

Minnesota's Bus on Shoulder System has been in place for nearly 20 years.

So what could it mean for me? Transit customers have shorter, more predictable and reliable travel times. If you’re a regular rider, your chances of missing a transfer would drop. The Minnesota experience has shown that riding the bus means you’ll spend less time fuming behind the wheel. With those stress-free extra minutes, you’ll have more time to read, catch up on that work you promised the boss, or surf the Web with Triangle Transit’s free Wi-Fi.

We’ll keep you posted on next steps and remember… the next time you’re stuck in traffic on I-40, just picture yourself in that bus riding around that gridlock. There you go… you’re already smiling.

Hit the Road! Triangle Parkway Opens

David Joyner and Gene Conti unveil Triangle Parkway

Following months of construction and years of careful planning, Triangle Parkway is now officially open to the public. The 3.5-mile highway serves as a southern extension of the Durham Freeway (147) connecting I-40 to 540. It is the initial leg of the Triangle Expressway, North Carolina’s first modern toll road, which will continue on to Apex and Holly Springs by this time next year. Toll collection transponders are on sale now through NC Quick Pass. However, Triangle Parkway is free to drive on from now until January 3, offering the perfect opportunity to test out the new route.

The official ribbon-cutting on December 8 featured speeches from Gene Conti, State Secretary of Transportation, and David Joyner, Executive Director of the NC Turnpike Authority. Each gave a round of thank you’s to the many partners who worked hard to make Triangle Parkway a reality. North Carolina has seen its fair share of highway openings, but they likened this experience to having a first child. This much-needed road was nearly postponed for several decades due to limited State funding. Saving it meant re-imagining it as a toll project. But that required buy-in from a reluctant public. Getting construction underway was only possible with region-wide support. Mr. Joyner and Mr. Conti acknowledged the many communities who had signed a joint resolution endorsing the Triangle Parkway, ‘paving the way’ for construction. These included town and county governments, local Chambers of Commerce, and the Research Triangle Foundation.

As we’ve mentioned before, the Triangle Parkway project is significant for its commuting and economic development benefits. The ribbon-cutting ceremony also touched on some other noteworthy aspects of the project. First is the team effort mentioned above, where state and local leaders worked together to reach an important milestone for our region. Read more »

Behind the Scenes at RDU

The Raleigh-Durham International Airport has received a lot of acclaim for the recent and very impressive redevelopment of Terminal 2, as well as their 2011 ranking as the most efficient mid-sized airport in the nation. So it was certainly a treat when myself and a colleague were invited to take an in-depth tour of RDU’s operations.

In some ways, RDU operates like a small city. The have their own governing board, fire and rescue station, shuttle buses, fleet maintenance, landscaping crews, energy plant and more. Managed by the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, RDU gets most of its revenue from parking. They aim to diversify their income sources in order to keep operation fees for airlines low. Other sources under consideration include selective timbering of the airport’s 5,000 acre property, and additional commercial development at Aviation Station (where the Sheetz gas station on Aviation Parkway is located).

Our tour started off  at the General Aviation Terminal, where Obama parks Air Force One when he comes to visit, and moved straight to the Emergency Services Building, which is responsible for firefighting, aircraft rescue, structural fire protection, and emergency medical services.

View of Terminal 2 from RDU's Control Tower

The highlight of the tour was the opportunity to climb the air traffic control tower, where the controllers direct planes as they take off and land. The name of the game for these employees is efficiency combined with a very important focus on safety. With 372 daily arrivals and departures and 9.1 million passengers flowing through the airport on an annual basis, it is very important to airport administrators that flights take off on time. Our tour guides went into great detail about the specific flight paths that are permitted to and from RDU, the required clearance between planes, and the strategies for handling severe weather situations. Each member of the control tower team has a specific role that keeps things running smoothly. Read more »

A Running Start for Triangle Parkway

This past Sunday, 434 people got a chance to travel on North Carolina’s first modern toll road… by foot, as part the Triangle Expressway Trot, and I was lucky enough to be one of them.  The event included food trucks, kids’ activities, equipment demonstrations and supported MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).  The race itself took place on Phase I of the Triangle Expressway, a new toll road that will eventually connect Holly Springs to The Research Triangle Park at 540 and I-40.

And they're off! Runners leaving the start at the Triangle Expressway Trot

I have to admit, there was something very cool about running on a road of this magnitude and significance that hasn’t yet been open to the public, but I also couldn’t help but feel a little guilty, like a kid writing his name in wet cement.  Of course, that didn’t stop me.  And although I was running by, I definitely noted some of the nice attributes of the Triangle Parkway: smooth paving, attractive native and sustainable landscaping, and even the toll gantries are embellished with dogwood flowers in relief.

The Triangle Parkway is the first section of the larger 18.8 mile Triangle Expressway.  This 3.7 mile segment will open to vehicular traffic on December 8, and will be toll-free through January 3, 2012, when tolling will begin.  Interestingly enough, there will be no toll booths and no stopping on the new toll road. Customers may purchase an NC Quick Pass, an electronic sticker transponder, for $5.00, saving them up to 35% on tolls. For those without an NC Quick Pass, overhead high-speed cameras will capture license plate information and bill drivers through a “Bill by Mail” process. Most importantly, the toll-road will offer some definite time savings to commuters, and once all the phases are completed, could shave 40 minutes off the commute time for some.

The North Carolina Turnpike Authority will be holding a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the Triangle Expressway on Thursday, December 8, at 10:30am for those who are interested.  Of course, I’ve already been on the road myself.  Oh, and for all my fans out there dying to know, I came in 20^th in the race. Get more race results here and visit NCDOT’s project page for the Triangle Expressway for more information about the new road and for project updates.

RTI Employees Park and Plug In

Those of you who consider yourselves fans of electric vehicles know that they’ve had a big year. Previously on this blog, we’ve covered Raleigh’s commitment to promote the technology, as well as Nissan’s rollout of their new all-electric model. Well for the next chapter, we turn to one of our own Research Triangle Park companies, RTI International.

As an organization saturated by cutting-edge technology, it makes sense that RTI would have a strong interest in electric vehicles (EV’s) – both at the employee and corporate levels. Recent in-house surveys have indicated a substantial number of RTI employees interested in buying an EV in the next 2 years. For the company as a whole, RTI has acquired Neighborhood Electric Vehicles for trips around campus. And in studying their ecological footprint, they are targeting reductions in the 17% of RTI’s total emissions caused by commuting. Read more »

Try Transit Week is Coming

How are you getting to work next week?  Instead of clenching your fists behind the wheel, why not relax and let someone else do the driving.  Next week, September 19 – 23, 2011, is “Try Transit Week” and there are great opportunities to get out of your car and give the bus a try!

Here’s what GoTriangle has put together for next week:

• Monday, September 19:  Explore the Region – Just purchase a regional day pass for a chance to win great prizes. A regional day pass works on Triangle Transit, CAT, C-Tran, DATA.
• Tuesday, September 20: Rack and Ride Day – If you ride your bike to a stop, load your bike on the easy to use bike-rack and ride the bus for free!
• Thursday, September 22: Fare-Free Day – All passengers will ride for FREE on World Car Free Day – now it’s even easier to give up your car for a day!
• Friday, September 23: Operator Appreciation Day – Thank your bus operator(s).

And if you need help trying to determine your route, use GoTriangle’s handy Trip Planner to figure out the fastest and easiest way to commute by bus.

For more information on Try Transit Week, visit the GoTriangle website.  And for more information on alternative commuting in RTP, visit www.smartcommute.org.

Make Way for Triangle Parkway

An important change to travel patterns in RTP is coming this weekend, and we want to make sure word gets out.

Road construction on "the spur"

Starting next Tuesday, September 6, the portion of Highway 147 south of I-40 (also known as “the spur”) will be closed for construction. Some of you may have already seen the flashing signs around the 147/40 interchange. Here’s what it comes down to: Going south on 147, I-40 will be the last exit you can take, and from I-40, there will only be the option to go north on 147. A map of alternate routes to access TW Alexander Drive can be found here. Read more »

Raleigh Leads the Charge for Electric Vehicles

PEV at a Downtown Raleigh charging station

This Wednesday at Marbles Museum in Downtown Raleigh, several RTP staff had the opportunity to attend Plugging In: Progress and Opportunities for Electric Vehicles. The forum, presented by The City of Raleigh, Progress Energy, and Advanced Energy, intended to raise awareness of opportunities and successes in electrified transportation technology.

As the event began, one thing that was quickly apparent was that Raleigh is in the cutting edge of the national rollout of plug-in vehicles. The forum was MC’ed by Paula Thomas, the City of Raleigh’s Sustainability Initiatives Manager, and featured remarks from Mayor Charles Meeker, Assistant City Manager Julian Prosser, and several other City staff. All expressed their eagerness to get Raleigh prepared for electric vehicles.

Read more »

Challenge, Commit, Change

The SmartCommute Challenge wrapped up on June 1^st, and with 8,630 participants saving over 1 million commuter miles, Triangle residents that took the challenge can be proud to say they contributed to something wonderful.

Driving alone has high costs, both obvious and hidden. For the driver, there are the obvious costs of gas, auto maintenance and insurance, but also the hidden costs of stress and less exercise. For the community, there are the monetary costs of our roadway infrastructure, but also the costs of increased local air pollution, high CO₂ emissions, and dependence on foreign oil.  For each one of us, driving alone every day can undermine our own quality of daily life. Added together, our driving habits threaten to decrease the Triangle’s quality of life. But there is a solution – Smart Commuting!

This year’s SmartCommute Challenge, coordinated by GoTriangle and SmartCommute@rtp, encouraged people to try a commute alternative —teleworking, carpooling, vanpooling, taking the bus, biking or walking— at least once between April 1 and June 1, 2011. The Challenge was open to employees and college students who live, work, or attend school in Durham, Orange, and Wake counties.  Participants were eligible to win prizes – this year, the SmartCommute Challenge is giving away over $10,000 in prizes! And once again, we made a big difference! When we followed up with participants after the Challenge ended, 96% reported following through on their pledges, and two-thirds of those were willing to continue SmartCommuting at least once a week! Thank you to all of the sponsors and participating employers who made the 2011 Challenge possible, and thanks to everyone who took the challenge this year!

Finally, here are some quick stats to show just how much of difference our SmartCommuters made.

• Miles Saved: 1,132,054.8 – The equivalent of about 5 trips to the moon
• Gallons of Gasoline Saved: 50,313.5 – Enough to fill 1,006 bathtubs
• Pounds CO₂ Saved: 1,006,271 – The weight of 335 female hippos
• Pounds of nitrogen oxide air pollutants (NO_X) saved: 2,768.6 – The average weight of 15 adult Americans
• Pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOC) saved: 3,315.8 – The weight of 121 gold bars

Great job, Triangle!  We’ll be celebrating our success, recognizing our photo and video contest winners, and honoring some very special commuters at the Golden Modes on July 8^th.  RSVP for the event here.

And remember, even though the SmartCommute Challenge is over, it’s never too late to try a smart commute.  RTP employees should visit www.SmartCommute.org for more information on ways to get started.