Commute Trip Reduction (CTR)
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CTR at the State
The Washington State Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program, a partnership between state and local governments and major employers, eliminates approximately 20,000 vehicles from the state's roadways every morning, reduces air pollution by 3,200 tons every year, and saves 6.5 million gallons of petroleum annually. (2005 WSDOT data)
CTR at the City of TacomaThe City of Tacoma provides assistance to employers affected by the CTR Law in encouraging their employees to take transit, bicycle, carpool, vanpool or walk to work in lieu of driving alone. Tacoma offers a CTR program which includes transit and vanpool subsidies that are an impressive employee benefit and serve to promote CTR.
Commute Trip Reduction benefits the City of Tacoma by:
- Conserving roads, parking spaces and fuel resources
- Meeting the City’s Commute Trip Reduction Goals as mandated by the State of Washington
- Supporting broader City policies such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions
The City of Tacoma is taking a leadership role in advancing CTR in the Puget Sound Region.
CTR Background and Status
In 1991, the Washington State Legislature passed the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Law, incorporating it into the Washington Clean Air Act as RCW 70.94.521-551. The goals of the CTR Program are to reduce air pollution, traffic congestion and fuel consumption through employer-based programs that decrease the number of commute trips made in single occupant vehicles.
The CTR Law was modified by the 2006 legislature as the CTR Efficiency Act. As the name suggests, the intention of the revision is to target CTR where is can be implemented most efficiently and effectively.
The new CTR Efficiency Act applies to employers in the fastest growing areas of Washington with 100 or more employees that arrive at the worksite between 6-9 am. The principle, however, applies to all of us and all employers are encouraged to voluntarily develop and participate in CTR programs.
The CTR Efficiency Act requires participating jurisdictions to decrease their single occupancy trips by 10% over the next four years – an aggressive goal. The City of Tacoma will need to work hard at promoting CTR to achieve this 10% reduction challenge by 2011.
Today, more than 1,100 worksites participate in CTR in Washington. These companies encourage employees to find alternatives to driving alone, such as working from home, using an alternative work schedule, vanpooling, riding the bus, walking or riding a bicycle.
Staff Contact
Diane Wiatr, CTR Coordinator, (253) 591-5380, dwiatr@cityoftacoma.org