‘Spring’ clean up a year-round chore in DOT

‘Spring' clean up a year-round chore in DOT

Cub Scout Pack 638 has volunteered to keep 148th Avenue Southeast east of Renton looking clean and neat.

It may be that time of year, but “spring” cleaning actually happens year-round at the King County Department of Transportation, as community members who live near our roads and bus stops pitch in to help keep King County litter free and looking spiffy.

The Department of Transportation hosts three different volunteer clean-up programs: Adopt-A-Road; Landscape Enhancement; and transit Adopt-A-Stop.

King County's Adopt-A-Road program has been around for 13 years, ever since Boy Scout Troop 418 started picking up litter along Southeast Lake Holm Road east of Auburn. The program was designed as a beautification campaign to remove litter and debris from county roads and improve the quality of the environment.

Since that first cleanup, almost 30,000 individuals have volunteered in the program. Participants have included youth groups, community associations, service clubs, office co-workers, and extended families. Last month alone, more than two dozen groups cleaned up 53 miles of county roadway and filled more than 450 trash bags with debris.

The program establishes a partnership between volunteer groups and the county's Road Services Division. The volunteer groups can "adopt" a two-mile stretch of road in unincorporated areas by removing litter at least two times a year over a two-year period. County staffers provide an orientation, safety equipment, and roadside signs recognizing the volunteer group.

For more information, call the Adopt-A-Road Coordinator at 206-296-3807, or visit the project website.

The Landscape Enhancement Program (LEP) is more focused on projects in specific neighborhoods. Volunteers adopt a plot of land and dedicate themselves to improving its appearance through litter pickup, weeding and sometimes planting new vegetation.

Participating volunteer groups commit to a two-year agreement, and then perform monthly litter pickup and weeding during the growing season of April through September – plus at least one off-season activity.

Participants get the same training and equipment the county provides to the road clean-up volunteers. In addition, the county will mow the grass areas, provide some topsoil, and connect volunteers with information about native plants and shrubs that will do well in the newly landscaped areas.

For more information about the Landscape Enhancement Program, potential volunteers should also contact the county's Adopt-A-Road Coordinator at 206-296-3807, or visit the LEP website.

King County Metro Transit also partners up with businesses and residents who want to spruce up a neighborhood's appearance around bus stops that do not have shelters. Sometimes, it's just one stop and other times adoptions are done on a large scale. The city of Burien recently upped its commitment from 11 adopted stops to 78.

Once a volunteer group signs an agreement to adopt a stop, a litter container is attached to the bus stop sign. The volunteers are given litterbags, and are responsible for emptying trash before container or surrounding area becomes unsightly. They must also keep the container clean and free of graffiti. One of the other rewards – besides community pride – is that volunteers receive 10 “free-ride” bus tickets per month.

To participate, call the Adopt-A-Stop coordinator at 206-263-6503, or complete the application and agreement forms online.

Top

Every day is ‘Earth Day' for King County DOT

As the world participates in Earth Day this week, the King County Department of Transportation has a lot to celebrate. In addition to innovative partnerships to clean up the environment around county roads and bus stops, KCDOT has invested heavily in transportation programs that protect the natural environment.

Projects completed by the King County Road Services Division in the unincorporated areas not only benefit motorists and pedestrians, but often they also enhance the natural environment for fish.

Projects involving bridges, roadside ditches, and underground culverts now come under close scrutiny of federal, state and tribal fisheries agencies. To comply with those federal, state and local environmental regulations, the county's road construction and maintenance programs carry out a significant amount of habitat restoration and enhancement.

The department's Fleet Administration Division has won national recognition for pioneering the use of alternative fuels and hybrid technology in county vehicles. Over the past few years , Fleet has substantially increased the number of electric hybrid vehicles in the county motor pool. Plus, more and more of the traditional cars and trucks have been converted to use low-emission fuels. And, staff has found new ways to use biodegradable oil.

At Metro Transit, the focus has been on cleaner fuels and hybrid technology that improve regional air quality. Transit staff have been experimenting with biodegradable oil, and converting all diesel-only buses to run on Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel fuel.

Top

Aviation anniversary and expansion

It was almost a year ago that Helijet began fixed-wing service between King County International Airport (Boeing Field) and Campbell River, British Columbia. The venture has been so successful that Helijet has just begun offering service between KCIA and Victoria, B.C.

Helijet's inaugural service to Victoria International Airport runs four times daily, and will increase to six flights a day during peak season. The Beech Executive 1900D aircraft is scheduled to make the trip in just 20 minutes.

In addition to the new service, Helijet is also expanding the service to Campbell River this summer.

KCIA is home to more than 100 aviation businesses offering a variety of services, and to 500 aircraft based at the field.

Top

Roadwork ahead

Here is a list of King County Department of Transportation projects that may disrupt traffic and travel this week:

Northeast 124th Street, north of Redmond – Work continues through October 2004 on Northeast 124th Street between Willows Road and State Route 202. Expect traffic delays.

Cumberland-Kanaskat Road, east of Black Diamond – A section of the Cumberland-Kanaskat Road south of Kanaskat-Kangley Road will be closed to daytime traffic from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday, April 30 to repair a railroad overcrossing.

Edgewick Bridge, east of North Bend - Crews have closed the Edgewick Bridge on 468th Avenue Southeast, and traffic has been diverted to a temporary one-lane bridge. The project is expected to last through mid-October.

South 277th Street, between Auburn and Kent – There will be no lane closures, but there will be traffic disruptions on South 277th Street between the West Valley Highway and 72nd Avenue South through October 2005.

124th Avenue NE, in Kingsgate – Private utility relocation is underway, and will be followed by street improvements along 124th Avenue Northeast between Northeast 132nd Street and Northeast 146th Place.

Top

STOP — there's more...

Every day is 'Earth Day' for King County DOT
Aviation anniversary and expansion
Roadwork ahead

DOT Dash
Sign-up to receive an e-mail text version of "This Week In Transportation," along with other significant DOT news by sending an e-mail to us with subscribe King County DOT Dash in the subject line.