More Schools "Walk and Roll"

Thurston Here to There expands “Walk and Roll” Programs to children and families at four additional schools. “Walk and Roll” builds and sustains partnerships, resulting in a new generation of healthy and safe walkers, cyclists, and bus riders. The program also reduces automobile trips – and improves safety – to and around schools. Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School started “Walking and Rolling” in fall 2010. During the next year, we’ll bring programs to one more school in Tumwater and two Yelm elementary schools.

 >> Learn more about the Walk and Roll Program 

Booster Team Creates Tools for Safer Schools

Thurston Here to There supports a Safe Routes to School Coordination Team. We’re also developing Safe Route Walking and Biking Maps for local schools. These maps will promote safe walking and bicycling to school, and highlight areas where the community can improve safety by adding features such as crossing islands and sidewalks.

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Mapping Neighborhoods, One Sidewalk at a Time

Thurston Here to There is mapping existing sidewalks, paths, crosswalks, and other infrastructure for Bucoda, Rainier, Tenino, Tumwater and Yelm. Once complete, this inventory will support:

• Mapping processes to create walking maps and Safe Routes to School Maps
• Planning processes to improve non-motorized travel options for people of all ages and physical abilities
• Decision making processes to prioritize safety improvements such as sidewalks, paths, bicycle facilities, and traffic management

Building On a Good Idea - Tumwater Town Center 2.0!

In 1999, the City of Tumwater created Tumwater Town Center, anchored by City Hall, large state worksites, the library, and several community schools. Elected officials envisioned the Center to support a variety of transportation options. We’re expanding that Center to the neighborhoods and small businesses along Capitol Boulevard. Working together, we’re finding new ways to encourage people to ride the bus, share the ride (vanpool or carpool), walk, bike, telework, or try other options.

What’s in it for the community? Besides saving money and possibly improving health, people can use RideShare Online to track their travel online and compete in monthly drawings for transit passes and other useful trip saving items. This tool also lets users calculate how much money they’ve saved and how each individual decision impacts the environment.

Right now, we’re reading all the surveys from the Tumwater neighborhoods and will soon hit the streets to visit small businesses to talk about transportation challenges and opportunities.

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It's the Water - It's the Vision: Tumwater Brewery Site

Thurston Here to There asks the community to imagine what they want next for the former Tumwater Brewery site. Leopold Schmidt began brewing beer in 1896 in Tumwater – near the first permanent American settlement on Puget Sound. By 1902, the slogan “It’s the Water” made Tumwater and Olympia Beer nationally famous! In 2003 the Brewery blew the 5 o’clock whistle for the last time. Over 400 employees lost their jobs and the buildings and facilities have sat idle ever since. This site sits in the heart of old Tumwater, along a vital urban area that connects Tumwater Town Center and the State Capitol in Olympia. We need the community visioning to honor the history and consider the best new uses for this landmark property. How can the Tumwater Brewery site once again strengthen the community and provide jobs, housing, and community space?

Reinventing a Corridor

The Thurston Here to There team proudly partners with the City of Tumwater to study how to transform Capitol Boulevard between Southgate Shopping Center and Israel Road. We’ll work with community members and business owners for solutions to make the area safer, look better, and work better for walkers, cyclists, and motorists, and encourage business revitalization and redevelopment.

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Sharing the Ride in Smaller Communities

People in the smaller south-county communities of Bucoda, Tenino, Rainier and Yelm face their own set of travel challenges. Many commute longer distances to jobs and services, making walking and biking impractical. Without the option of fixed route transit, we’re focusing on Vanpools and Carpool options, using Rideshare Online as a tool for making connections. We even leveraged extra state resources to help us really put this updated tool through its paces over the next few months.

We’re also exploring informal park-and-pools to support ridesharing and telework centers. These amenities can encourage trip reduction and spur economic vitality through public private partnerships.

Surveys

Thanks to the many local residents who have already responded to our travel surveys. This information helps the Thurston Here to There team better understand the needs of our communities.

We’re sending out surveys through the schools, in utility bills, and using direct mailing. Everyone in these communities will receive a survey every year. We want to know how our programs are helping people discover all the ways to go from
Here to There!

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Thurston Commits to Telework

TRPC used the occasion of National Telework Week to launch Here to There mascot Thurston Bigfoot. We used posters, web and social media to introduce Thurston, who will continue to tell his stories about trying different ways to get around throughout this project. With Thurston’s help, our Executive Director, Lon Wyrick challenged Council and Policy Board members, as well as key state agency leadership to encourage telework. The Council and Policy Board responded by publicly signing a Pledge, the Board of County Commissioners also issued a Proclamation and others committed to expand their programs or explore policies. 

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