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		Roads Division is going buggy In an area criss-crossed with so many rivers, streams and wetlands, the King County Road Services Division must carry out its construction and maintenance projects with great care. But once a project is done, how do they measure the impact of the projects on the native species? It turns out that the best way is to count bugs. The animals living in and around our streams provide the best indicators of that stream’s overall health and ecological condition. Human activities can alter a watershed and interfere with the natural process of a stream, and have immediate as well as long-term effects on the animals that live in the stream. That is why King County monitors the invertebrates since they represent an enormous diversity of life forms, survival strategies and adaptations. Many invertebrates require clear and cool water, adequate oxygen, stable flows, and a steady food source in order to complete their life cycles. These animals in turn, provide food for trout, salmon, herons and kingfishers. Once a year during the fall, Roads Maintenance staffers take samples from sites located within the road right-of-way throughout unincorporated King County. At each sampling site, a one-foot square area of the streambed is manually scrubbed and all loose material is collected downstream in what is called a Surber net. The sampled material is removed from the net and sorted. The samples are then submitted to a laboratory, where each sample is analyzed. Lab workers are counting the number of bethnic macro-invertebrates, which is a diverse group of animals that inhabit the sediment or water. This group includes insects, annelids, mollusks, flatworms and crustaceans. The data provided from these samples is combined with King County’s water quality study data and habitat surveys to determine the health of our local aquatic ecosystem. Ride, then shop and dine at a discount The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel closes on Sept. 24 for light rail construction, but downtown commuters and visitors can already enjoy a new incentive to use public transit during tunnel closure. The number of buses on downtown streets will increase during tunnel closure. King County Metro Transit, Sound Transit, Community Transit, the city of Seattle and the Downtown Seattle Association are partnering on several projects to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles on the streets during the next two years by encouraging more commuters to travel by public transit. The Shop, Dine & Ride program is the public’s ticket to great deals at nearly 100 downtown shops, theaters and restaurants. Coupons are redeemable by presenting them along with any valid transit pass, ticket, transfer or regional reduced fare permit. Ferry passes and tickets also qualify. Coupons are available at Downtown Seattle locations or can be printed from the Shop, Dine & Ride website. The first coupon book is now online and available at transit information racks, pass sales outlets, and participating businesses. New editions will be published twice a year through 2007 when the tunnel reopens. Metro dominates state roadeo Metro drivers and vehicle maintenance workers dominated the competition at the annual Washington State Public Transportation Roadeo held last month in Tukwila. Michael Grady, a transit operator from Metro’s East Base, won first place in the 40-foot bus driving division. The Vehicle Maintenance Team of Arvin Vulliet, Bryan Stites and Jerry McKenna took first place in the team competition. And, Metro Access driver James Duffy won fourth place in the van division. The state roadeo featured drivers and vehicle maintenance teams from 32 transit agencies across the state. Each driver negotiated eleven driving problems in a transit vehicle within a specific time limit, showcasing their skills in safety, smoothness, and technical proficiency. The vehicle maintenance three-person teams had to complete and repair a transit vehicle engine, transmission, braking system, and identify deficiencies on a transit vehicle in a specific time limit. Winners are eligible for the national competition to be held later this month in Texas. Metro smoothes the path to Husky stadium The University of Washington kicks off against Cal this Saturday, Sept. 9 at 12:30 p.m. Eliminate driving and parking hassles on trips to and from Husky Stadium by riding Metro to the game – either regular service or shuttles from eight outlying park-and-ride lots. Your ride is free on any Metro bus when you show your Husky game ticket or ticket stub to the bus driver. Check out Metro Online for more information.

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Updated: September 06, 2005

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