CobbRides The Letter "C"

Spring 2002

Inside this issue

Smog Alert Season
May 1 through September 30th

SRTA

Electric Stations

CobbRides Spotlight

Contests and Prizes

$200 Grand Prize…
Participate in the Smog Season Contest

Health Risks

High concentrations of ozone can cause shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, headaches, nausea, and eye and throat irritation.
The most common symptom that people have when exposed to ozone while exercising is pain when taking a deep breath.

We encourage you to use alternative transportation on a regular basis, but especially during Smog Season May 1- September 30th. If you carpool, vanpool, telework, walk, or ride a bike to work at least once each week during Smog Season, you may be eligible to win $200.

Each week that you participate in any of the above listed options, send your name to Susie@CobbRides.com Each month, one participant will be chosen to win a special prize such as movie passes or gift certificate to a local retailer. On October 1st, one name will be drawn for the Grand Prize of $200.

Not only will you save money , do your part to insure better air quality, and decrease road congestion, but you may also win a prize just for letting us know!

Ozone…
Good Up High, Bad Nearby

Studies show that people who share rides via carpools or vanpools arrive to work consistently on time, in a good mood from having already socialized.

What we typically call smog is primarily made up of ground-level ozone. Ozone can be good or bad, depending on where it is located. Ozone high above the earth, known as the ozone layer, protects human health and the environment from ultraviolet radiation. Ground-level ozone can have harmful effects on plants and animals and can cause respiratory and other health problems.

What is Ground Level Ozone?

Ground-level ozone is created when a mixture of air pollutants from a variety of sources - such as the fumes from our vehicles, lawn mowers and boats, or emissions from power plants and industrial facilities react in sunlight. The main ozone causing pollutants are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Because heat and sunlight are also important factors in ground-level ozone formation, ozone pollution is primarily a concern from May through September.

KSU sponsored a "Dirty Sock" contest to raise awareness during the 2001 Smog Season. CobbRides provided the socks and prizes.

CobbRides can help plan your event!
Raise awareness for carpooling, vanpooling, flex-time and compressed work week.
CobbRides will bring prizes too!

Contact Susie@CobbRides.com

CobbRides Partner Spotlight:
Dana West, Respironics

Q. What was it that interested you about the CobbRides program?

A. Cobb Rides provides a means of improving our air quality and congested traffic that is needed in our community. By helping our associates match up with a carpool or provide a Guaranteed Ride Home, I thought it was a great benefit to associates while at the same time preventing poor air quality.

Q. What changes would you like to see for your company in 2002 with regards to transportation?

A. I'd like to see more of our associates carpool. In addition to improving air quality I think carpooling with co-workers helps relationships and attitudes when they come to work.

Q. Do you use incentives to encourage alternative transportation?

A. Yes, Respironics works with CobbRides to offer monthly prizes to one of our rideshare participants. Anyone who actually participates in any alternative transportation enters their name in a monthly drawing. One month CobbRides provided us with $15 in local
theatre passes and we added to the prize, too.

Q. What have you done to market the rideshare program that you think was most effective?

A. Susie Erath came out during our lunch period and promoted the program as well as handed out giveaways. In addition, we have a CobbRides Corner on our bulletin board marketing CobbRides programs.

Q. I know you participated in our Holiday Shuttle program. What did you enjoy most about the Holiday Shuttle?

A. I personally enjoyed riding with co-workers to the mall without having to worry about the traffic and parking. I think providing a contest of a $500 prize was a big draw, plus the weekly prizes.

Town Center Area Community Improvement District (CID)

“…there have been no changes, nor are there any currently planned, as to how Ga. 400 toll funds will be spent.”
Jim Croy,

SRTA Director, Jim Croy, addresses North Cobb leaders

The Town Center Area CID sponsored the North Cobb area council Chamber of Commerce breakfast featuring Jim Croy, Executive Director of the State Road and Tollway Authority.

Area business leaders packed Pinetree Country Club to hear native Cobb Countian, Jim Croy explain the financial responsibilties of the SRTA. Croy served Cobb County during the late eighties and nineties as Director of Transportation. Croy managed, within budget, the 1% sales tax for transportation improvements.

When Congress passed the 1998 Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century, it freed up extra revenue from toll roads to be used as the state saw fit, rather than for only construction, maintenance and debt service on pilot road projects.

Through a recent amendment to the original law, Georgia has now updated its language to reflect that of the federal guidelines to allow the state to potentially take advantage of the financial flexibility for toll revenues.

Croy discussed the Governor’s aggressive transportation program, elaborating on projects to be done in Cobb County. HOV lanes, additional CCT buses, bus circulators for Town Center and Cumberland and eventual transit from Town Center to Cumberland to Mid-Town.

Light rail included in the TIP

The 2002-2004 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) includes $55 million to be used for light rail service between the Cumberland and Town Center activity centers. Once complete, the line will offer regional connection with midtown Atlanta.

The Town Center Area CID and the Cumberland CID have jointly funded an implementation plan for the Cobb County portion of the light rail. The plan also incorporates the east bound rail study from Marietta to Lawrenceville. Governor Barnes has committed $2.8 billion for the light rail project.

Park, Plug and Shop!

HOV lanes coming to Cobb

Also in the 2002-2004 TIP, the Georgia Department of Transportation plans to install 29 miles of HOV lanes along I-75 from I-285 to Wade Green Road. HOV lanes have also been approved along I-575 from I-75 to Sixes Road in Cherokee County. Follow these projects at www.CobbRides.com.

Town Center Mall has installed electric stations for motorists using electric cars. They are located in the parking lot in front of the Food Court. Costco was one of the first to install the electric stations in the Town Center area.

According to the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, Inc (EVI), 3,000 vehicles could be placed in Georgia in 2003. Three thousand vehicles could eliminate 219 tons of NOx and 180 tons of NMOG over the life of the vehicls. Electric vehicles with a 50 mile range fulfill the commuting needs of the average Atlantan.

Have a Wendy’s Alert !

Wendy’s on Chastain Road is offering free lunch to CobbRides partners.

During the Smog Season, May 1 through September 30th, when you fax in your lunch order, the names of all participants go into a monthly drawing. If your name is chosen, you win a free lunch!

Even better, if your faxed order is for 10 or more lunches, the driver will receive their order free for that day.

Contact Susie Erath at 678.493.9576
for forms or more info.

Which way to go…

Web-Knowledge -
Do you reach for your mouse instead of the phone when it comes to getting
information?

In the News - offering you a library of articles and publications regarding transportation issues, both
local and national

In the Works - offers a calendar of events and fairs
for 2002

The CID page - gives information on transportation improvements in the Town Center area

The Benefits page - provides information on
commuter and employer programs offered
by CobbRides

The Links page - takes you directly to CCT Routes,
Cobb DOT and many other informative websites

On the home page is a live camera of Barrett Parkway that links to Georgia Navigator -

Cruise www.CobbRides.com for your
transportation needs!

Going east on Barrett Parkway under I-75 can be a challenge. Do I get in the far left lane? No, that will take me to I-75 North. Oh no, now I’m too far to the right and missed my entrance into Town Center Mall.

To ease the commuter’s dilemma, the Town Center Area CID contracted the engineering services of ARCADIS to design signage to give motorists ample time to see directional signs and choose the proper lane to get them to their destination.

Georgia DOT and the State DOT have approved the signage and it should be installed this spring.

The Letter C 2002 Archives

Winter 2002