The City of Seattle is once again promoting its Walk Bike Ride (WBR) challenge this summer, offering the potential to win prizes and incentives for those who convert at least two weekly auto trips to walking, bicycling, or riding transit.  The more trips of the latter modes that are reported, the higher an individual’s chances are of winning.  The prizes aren’t just toys and trinkets; some of them are actually pretty good, according to the City:

  • An electric bike from Electric Bikes Northwest
  • An overnight stay at Pan Pacific Hotel in South Lake Union
  • A Zipcar 1-year membership & 5+ hours of driving credit
  • $100 Nordstrom gift card (courtesy of Commute Seattle)
  • $100 REI gift card
  • $100 farmers’ market gift card (accepted at seven farmers’ markets)

While you’re only eligible to be entered into the drawing for the first two rounds, the idea of the initiative is to help choice drivers become choice pedestrians, bicyclists, or transit users, thus breaking the my-car-is-the-only-ideal-candidate-for-intra-city-mobility mold.  Many of you are already WBR’ing so you’d be remiss not to sign up.  Upon registering, you’ll get access to a report calendar and trip chart, so you can see how you’re faring compared to others.

Another fun element to the WBR challenge is inter-neighorhood competition, in which various communities can compete against each other in reducing as many aggregate vehicle trips as possible.  Last year, Ballard took the crown with Wallingford/Fremont and Greenwood/Phinney as runners-up.  Although some neighborhoods have a natural advantage, those without should be compelled to compete that much harder.

7 Replies to “The Walk Bike Ride Challenge”

  1. I believe the prizes are only for people that convert car trips to WBR trips.

  2. So for clarification for someone who WBRs already, other than a good feeling, I’m not helping out my neighborhood at all by registering?

  3. So by only measuring SOV to WBR conversion, the neighborhoods that have a natural advantage are the ones that drive the most, right? Any neighborhood with already low SOV rates would be at a disadvantage?

  4. I registered for last years WBR, and it was alright I suppose. But surprisingly even with my long commute with coming from the island, I didn’t even get a nod about how many car trips I saved.

    Still worth it, and it’s great to get converts. So sign up people!

  5. Given that I drove into the office once in April, which was the last time I’d driven in since 2006, I don’t think there’s a lot in this for me.

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