Three decision makers tackle question
What is the role of business in reducing traffic congestion?
Commuter Challenge asked several King County business leaders what part should business play in seeking solutions to traffic congestion. The leaders' responses focused on advocating for specific solutions, leading the way to consensus with government, and being part of the solution by encouraging employees to use alternative commute modes. In practice the actions of these individuals and the businesses they represent are an encouraging and interwoven tale of public/private partnership:

The role of business in addressing the region's traffic problem is...

“... to serve as a leader in our community*
by channeling resources to address issues such as traffic congestion. Many people think public agencies should perform these functions, but private enterprise's sense of bottom-line urgency and reliance on the transportation system to move goods and services makes it a valuable partner.”

–Roger Harbin, Executive Vice President, SAFECO Life, Redmond Campus

*Footnote:
SAFECO's history of community leadership backs up Harbin's statement with many examples. Beyond offering a creative and results-oriented commuting program to employees, SAFECO management helped develop the Overlake Transportation Management Association and continues to dedicate human and financial resources to the Greater Redmond Transportation Management Association.

Redmond Campus Facilities Manager Rick Pusateri is President of GRTMA, a member of the state Commute Trip Reduction Task Force, and a participant in the Translake Study—a consortium of stakeholders asked to evaluate solutions for the 520 corridor. The Redmond Campus was recognized as a 1997 Diamond Award winner by Commuter Challenge for its outstanding level of management support to reduce commute trips.

“... to ensure that public decision makers understand*
the importance of investing in infrastructure as well as non-capital improvements to move freight and people. In turn, business must understand the forces that are driving government and that are shaping the processes involved in changing policy direction. Because the systems for moving freight and moving people are interdependent, if you ease one, you are easing the other; and solutions for one must be compatible and should be complementary with the other.”

––Dan O'Neal, Chairman of PowerTech Toolworks, Seattle; Member, Board of Directors, The Greenbrier Companies, Seattle; Chair, Freight Mobility Roundtable

*Footnote:
An entrepreneurial Seattle business leader with a background in transportation, O'Neal is a co-owner of a computer services company and member of the board of directors of Greenbrier, a company that manufactures and leases railroad cars and equipment. He served as chair of the Interstate Commerce Commission under President Carter.

O'Neal now also chairs the Freight Mobility Roundtable, a group of businesses that buy, sell, or provide goods transportation–shipping, railroads, marine, trucking, and air delivery–and interested government entities. The Roundtable meets every other month with the goal of improving the movement of freight by all modes in the Central Puget Sound region. In the process of bringing together competing companies with historic differences, the 200-member Roundtable has become a national model of effective industry cooperation.

Away from the table, breakthroughs have taken place. The Roundtable assisted in the conceptualizing and coalescing of the Fast Corridor program. After years of stormy relationships, it provided a forum that has helped the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and the City of Auburn forge agreements to build grade separations between tracks and roads to ease congestion. The Roundtable also initiated and drafted the freight mobility elements of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan to secure federal funds, and sponsored a federal/state conference on freight mobility.

“... to be part of the solution*
by offering commuting benefits that retain employees and benefit all of us by reducing traffic. As an employer, we are part of the problem, so we want to be part of the solution. While trying to shape the commuting habits of our employees, we are offering benefits, including free bus passes, flextime and compressed work weeks, that help us hire and retain valuable people in the middle of a hot employment market.”

–K.C. McNeil, Plant Manager, Romac Industries, Seattle

*Footnote:
Located across from the new Mariner's ball park, Romac Industries employs 145 people to manufacture pipe products. Besides being plant manager, K.C. McNeil also acts as the employee transportation coordinator at Romac. His management position and the employee-oriented atmosphere at Romac have resulted in the growth of its commuting program from a $15 monthly all-modes subsidy to a free annual bus pass.

McNeil works together with neighboring businesses in the South Seattle Employer Transportation Network to address common issues, such as decreased parking and increased congestion due to the new stadium and I-5 on-ramps, and to increase the odds of finding carpool partners. He helped spearhead a joint application for a matching grant from the SODO Business Association and the Public Facilities District, in cooperation with King County Metro, to fund improvements to employers' Commute Trip Reduction programs. McNeil's CTR leadership was recognized with a 1997 Commuter Challenge Diamond Award.


BACK TO COMMUTER CHALLENGE HOME PAGE