WTA's Year in Review

As we reflect on a year filled with impactful events and programs, we're excited to share the highlights that helped drive progress toward increasing the use of transportation options in our region.

We appreciated the opportunity to attend worksite events, where we engaged with employees at organizations like the City of Beaverton, City of Hillsboro, Columbia Sportswear, Edwards Vacuum, Nike, and Washington County. 

We truly enjoyed connecting with many of you at these events as well as networking and community events including:

•  Westside Bike Happy Hours
• City of Tigard's Earth and Arbor Day event at Bonita Park and Earth Week events at Portland Community College helped share the importance of sustainable transportation options as key to promoting environmental sustainability.
• The Washington County Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Expo was a chance to engage with job seekers and high school students, educating them on available transportation options. 
• Over the summer, we had the chance to engage with the community at the Hillsboro Tuesday Night Market and Hillsboro Saturday Market, where we shared information and fostered discussions about sustainable transportation. 
• In November we attended the Westside Small Business & Workforce Open House at PCC Willow Creek Center. This event allowed us to connect with local small business owners, job seekers, business resource agencies, and other community organizations. It was a great place to share information about commute options available on the westside. 

 
Special thank you to Intel for hosting our Business Forum! This event discussed the business benefits of supporting transportation options and highlighted Intel's transportation initiatives. Several vendors and partners joined us at this fun and informative event, and a special shoutout to Vvolt and Cascade Bikes for offering e-bike test rides to our attendees!

We also enjoyed rewarding individuals and teams through our 2024 incentive programs. We kicked off the year by celebrating our 2023 Get There Challenge winner, the City of Hillsboro--congratulating them on their well-deserved victory and building excitment for 2024! In May, we hosted our annual Active Transportation Challenge and once again we congratulated the City of Hillsboro for taking first place, with Vernier Science Education securing second. Well done! In September, we participated in the Get There Car Free Challenge, a statewide initiative designed to encourage Oregonians to drive less. Congratulations to Nike for securing the win, and we enjoyed celebrating with a well-earned pizza party! 

Other program highlights included:

• Receiving a Mayoral Proclamation recognizing Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Week from Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway.
• Conducting Employee Commute Option (ECO) surveys for several organizations, including Portland Community College, Genentech, Columbia Sportswear, Lam Research, City of Hillsboro, City of Tigard, City of Beaverton, and Washington County. These surveys help employers and WTA better understand commuters' relationships with transportation options and guide future activities. 
• Attending the Oregon Active Transportation Summit (OATS), where we connected with peers and experts in the field from across Oregon. 
• Celebrating the completion of the MAX Red Line extension project at TriMet's Better Red Event. The event featured insightful speakers, lively entertainment, culminating in the inaugural ride of the MAX Red Line train from Hillsboro to Beaverton. As we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by a jazz band dressed in red, adding a festive touch to the occasion! 
• Hearing stories from bike and transit commuters during the Week Without Driving campaign, whose experiences highlighted the positive impact of using transportation options on their daily lives.

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• Presenting at the Oregon Public Transportation Conference in Seaside. We shared strategies and insights on promoting transportation options. 

Some of the key milestones for WTA this year include welcoming two new team members, Michelle Knoke and Pitchapa Sornsena, as well as two new board members, Andy Rhyne from Genentech and Nicole Paulsen from Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District. 

As we look ahead, we're excited for the opportunities the new year will bring. Thank you for biking, walking, and rolling with us--your support truly makes a difference!