Transportation

The University of Washington announces the launch of its new Commuter Calculator—an interactive web-based application that allows commuters to explore how their commute choices affect the cost, CO₂ output and calories burned by their commute. Created by UW students, funded by the Campus Sustainability Fund, and supported by UW Transportation Services and the Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability (ESS) office, the site gives commuters a new tool for making commuting choices.

BizCycle isn’t just for your typical business. We adapt the BizCycle credit list is adaptable to fit workplaces of all kinds, even one of the state’s top employers—the University of Washington.

The UW Seattle campus has the challenge of promoting and supporting bicycling for faculty, staff and students—over 68,000 people! But the campus’s size and span has not stopped the University from being a national leader in bicycling.

Two processes that turn woody biomass into transportation fuels have the potential to exceed current Environmental Protection Agency requirements for renewable fuels, according to research published in the Forest Products Journal and currently featured on its publications page.

In his 20 years of conducting research, UW Atmospheric Sciences professor Dan Jaffe had always gone the conventional route of writing grant proposals to fund his scientific research projects — until now.

For his current project, he reached out to the general public, which responded by helping him achieve his fundraising goal of $18,000 in 10 days.

His project concerns measuring the environmental impact of coal trains, particularly their impact on air quality and human health.

May is bike to campus month
Get ready to bike to campus for national Bike to Work Month. UW Transportation Services is sponsoring seminars and events throughout May to inspire commuters to start riding and challenge experienced riders to commute more. Information sessions include “Intro to Bike Community” May 7, and “Fix-A-Flat Lab” May 21. There’s information about taking part in the Commute Challenge, Bike to Work Day May 17 and a UW Trail Party May 23.

The UW EcoCAR 2 team is finishing its overhaul of a new car before shipping it out for initial performance tests. In order to make the most energy-efficient, plug-in hybrid possible, the team has carefully implemented designs developed through years of work.

“Since it ships out so soon, we’re nearly there,” said Tyler Rose, communications manager and MBA candidate at the Foster School of Business. “We’ve taken out the interior and prepared the battery cells, which will go in back, to power the electric motor.”

It’s been awhile since you, dear readers, have been updated on the status of the University of Washington EcoCAR 2 Team. Last you read, the Team was nearing the end of Year 1 wherein all of our hybrid architecture modeling needed approval to begin manufacturing and modification. Well, a lot, has happened since then.

Transportation services and U-PASS are showing some love to campus carpoolers and vanpoolers during “We Heart Rideshare Week” with rideshare care packages filled with fun and educational treats.

To receive a care package just stop by any staffed campus gatehouse between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. in either an existing vanpool or carpool with a valid permit, or by purchasing a daily carpool permit on the spot.

WE have a transportation problem. The governor’s Connecting Washington report identified a maintenance shortfall of almost $800 million per year over the next 10 years just to keep roads, bridges and ferries in safe working order.

We have a climate problem. Carbon concentrations in the atmosphere continue to rise, and the scientific consensus about the risks of global warming continues to build.