[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Although it’s not easy to see from the road, the PATH400 Greenway Trail construction is continuing north, and will soon provide more options for commuters heading to the Perimeter.  Created by Livable Buckhead, the trail provides a multi-use path for bikers and walkers that parallels GA 400.  Sections of the trail around Miami Circle are already getting use, even though they don’t lead anywhere yet, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC).  By next Spring, the Miami Circle path will connect through to Peachtree Park.

Biking and walking to work in the Piedmont Park area has become more popular since the BeltLine opened five years ago.  The car-free route from Piedmont Park to Inman Park is busy with commuters, strollers, and recreational walkers and cyclists.  Businesses nearby have benefitted from the BeltLine as well.  Soon, commuters on the North side will experience this as well.

Ty Tagami, of the AJC, writes, “The next segments of the PATH400 will cut through scrub woods along the verge of Ga. 400 and MARTA’s north-south line. About half of the Buckhead portion of the 5.2 mile trail is paved. Future sections will carry it through Sandy Springs to Dunwoody, adding a couple more miles.”

The BeltLine doesn’t just bring improved commute options.  The PATH400 has become a place for community involvement and expression, through greenspaces, pocket parks, and more.  Check out these highlights of PATH400:

• May the force be with your bike commute. If you haven’t travelled along PATH400’s newest sections in Buckhead, you can get a great visual tour of the paths and Star Wars art HERE, thanks to Josh Green of Curbed Atlanta.

• The PATH gets greener with gardening. During the construction of PATH400, workers discovered an unofficial community garden along the route.  The garden was created by residents of the Atlanta Housing Authority’s nearby Marian Road high-rise.  PATH400 leaders were inspired to take this gardening to the next level, according to Tracy Paden of Livable Buckhead’s “The Dirt.”  Thanks to residents of that community, Livable Buckhead, the Atlanta Office of Sustainability, and local employers, more than 30 volunteers worked to create vegetable planter beds that spell out PATH400.  The beds will be maintained by Marian Road high-rise residents.  Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, the nonprofit organization spearheading PATH400 in Buckhead, said “We love that spirit, and we wanted to bring it into the project in a way that engages the local community and creates a unique amenity for this area.”

For Perimeter workers, PATH400 will provide more flexibility for commutes to work and increased mobility options.  It will also improve commutes during the work day – imagine cycling down the BeltLine for a meeting, to grab lunch, or just get in a mid-day workout!  We’ll keep you posted on all the PATH400 progress, so stay tuned![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It’s Like Having a Benefits Plan That Costs You Nothing. Georgia Commute Options provides incentives that are a real boost to your company’s benefits plan.  When your team members choose a commute alternative, like riding transit or carpooling, they can get rewarded with valuable perks.  You can promote these perks to jumpstart a green commuting program at your worksite.  It’s a win-win for employers and employees!

Prizes Tailored to the Commuter.  Do you have a group of avid bike commuters at your company?  Do many of your employees live in one or two areas?  Do you have parking issues that might be remedied by a carpool program?  Georgia Commute Options provides an array of prize programs to fit your green commuters:

•Gimme Five: New green commuters get $5 a day for trying an alternative commute, up to $150 over a 90-day period!

•Save Your Commute: Win a $25 gift card for logging your green commute.  The more you report, the more chances you have to win in the monthly drawings!

•More Passengers = More Gas $: Carpools with three or more passengers qualify for $40 gas cards.  Add a fourth rider to your carpool team and you’re eligible for $60 gas cards…one every month for three years!  That’s up to $2,160 in gas card rewards!

•Add a Vanpooler, Get $50: Not only are vanpools a great way to save money, they’re a great way to earn money too!  Refer a new member to a vanpool, and you’ll get $50.  Leaving your vanpool?  Find a replacement rider and get $100!

•Guaranteed Ride Home: With Guaranteed Ride Home, there’s less excuses for not taking a green commute.  Established transit riders, carpoolers, vanpoolers, and cyclists can receive a paid trip home if an emergency arises (such as a sick child or unexpected overtime).

Promoting these incentives during staff meetings, new hire orientations (Check out our New Hire Flyer!), and through employee communications will strengthen your commute options program at your worksite.  Need assistance implementing a new program?  Perimeter Connects is here to help.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Be in the Know.  Watch your emails in the coming days for an invitation to attend the Connectors Workshop later this summer.  You will be able to network with your fellow Connectors and learn more about transportation projects and enhanced transit options in Perimeter.  All of this, and a tasty lunch as well!

Talk to the Experts.  We’ve invited representatives from Georgia’s Department of Transportation (GDOT), Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA), State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA), and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), to be on hand with updates about construction, new routes, and transportation trends.

Some highlights you can expect to hear about include:

• Construction update for GDOT’s Transform 285/400 improvement project
• Express Lane Expansion
• Peach Pass 101: how to get it, install it, pay for it, and use it
• New Xpress routes to Perimeter
• Transit ridership trends since the I-85 bridge reconstruction
• MARTA’s new mobile payment system
• MARTA expansion projects
• Projects in the works for MARTA upgrades, including new digital signage in rail stations.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Save the Date” txt_align=”center” style=”flat” color=”peacoc” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”RSVP” btn_align=”center” btn_link=”url:Mailto%3ALauren%40PerimeterConnects.com|title:Mailto%3ALauren%40PerimeterConnects.com|target:%20_blank|”]

WHEN:
September 21^st
12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

WHERE:
CBRE – 7000 Central Parkway
5-Star Center, Suite 250
Atlanta, GA  30328

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]New Xpress routes are making a transit commute easier for Perimeter employees. Two routes serving Perimeter Center will launch on August 1 and two existing routes will have some schedule tweaks. You’ll want to share this new commute option with existing and potential transit riders. We’ve drafted an easy email you can send to your employees here

• Shorter from Sugarloaf! Starting August 1, you can take Route 417 from Sugarloaf Mills Park-and-Ride (near the merge of I-85 and SR 316) to Perimeter Center, including the Dunwoody and Medical Center MARTA stations.  This is a Blue Zone fare route.

• Catch it in Kennesaw. Beginning August 1, take Route 482 from the Town Center (Big Shanty) Park-and-Ride to Perimeter Center. This route will stop at the Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and Medical Center MARTA stations and requires Blue Zone fare.

• Get a lift from Lithonia. Commuters traveling from West Conyers or Lithonia (Panola Rd.) on Route 428 will experience schedule tweaks on August 1st.  This route runs from the West Conyers and Panola Road Park-and-Rides to the Dunwoody and Medical Center MARTA stations.

• Commuting from Cumming? Starting August 1, Xpress Route 401 will have an adjusted schedule.  Route 401 connects the Cumming Park-and-Ride with the Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Medical Center MARTA stations.

For more information about these and other Xpress routes, visit www.xpressga.com or contact their customer service center at [email protected] or 844-XPRESSGA.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Make the grade.  Now that school is almost back in session, it’s a good time to remind staff members about safety, schedules, and commute options.  Here are some back to school tips for your team:

• Keep it safe. Be aware of school crossings, and allow extra time for students that may still be learning the rules of safe crossing.  Kids (and their parents) can be unpredictable, so be on watch for any pedestrians on the road.

• Plan for delays. The first few days of school can mean additional traffic as carpool and bus schedules are being established.  Many parents choose to drive their children to school until they are more practiced with taking the bus.  Slowing down for frequent school bus stops can also put you behind schedule.

• Take a tip from the kids. Consider taking a transit commute or a carpool to work.  A change in your kids’ schedule is a perfect opportunity to change yours to something greener.

Be first in your class.  Start a new trend of smart commuting at your work site, with ideas that jump-start your staff:

• Name Tag Game: Make color-coded staff name tags that show regions or zip codes so that team members can see which co-workers live close to them.  This inspires new or expanded carpools.

• MARTA Match-Up: Create a mini-promotion that encourages team members to plan a transit route for their commute in exchange for entries for a prize drawing.  Showing you their plan earns one entry; taking a transit commute earns five entries.  This is especially timely with the expansion of Xpress service!

• Map It Out: Display an enlarged regional MARTA map.  Give each team member a pushpin to show their home location.  This is a great visual way to show clusters of team members and proximity to transit stations and stops.

Here’s a list of start-dates for area schools:

Atlanta Public Schools: August 1

Bartow County: August 1

Cobb County: July 31

DeKalb County: August 7

Forsyth County: August 3

Fulton County: August 7

Gwinnett County: August 7

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This Workshop Really Worked!  June’s Connectors Workshop brought together 20 Perimeter HR and transportation professionals for a productive networking session and an opportunity to share best practices.  Everyone enjoyed a catered lunch while listening to expert guest speakers provide tips and advice from their work sites.  Some highlighted topics covered at this event include:

• Company relocations
• Teleworking and flex time strategies
• Future bus and car-sharing program
• Travel survey results
• Strategies to adjust the arrival experience for employees and attract the best candidates
• Non-parking cash incentives
• Company vanpools and shuttles
• Employer lead studies on transit accessibility for work sites
• Company supported commuting promotions, events, and opportunities
• New hire orientations
• Identifying and integrating local commuter support organizations
• Last-mile connectivity

We’d like to thank our fantastic guest speakers again for taking the time to put together these informative presentations.  If you missed the workshop, you can view all three presentations HERE.

Don’t Miss the Next One.  We aim to make ETC Workshops innovative, informative, and fun.  Our next Perimeter Connects ETC Workshop is coming up later this summer and will feature speakers from regional and state transportation departments and authorities.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]