Commuting to Highline
Commute Trip Reduction Program (CTR)
About the Commute Trip Reduction Program
Highline College participates in the statewide Commute Trip Reduction Law as mandated by the Washington Clean Air Act (RCW 70.94). State law requires Highline College, as a major employer, to reduce the number of trips and miles driven in single occupancy vehicles to and from campus. The purpose of the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program is to:
- help reduce traffic congestion;
- encourage the use of alternative methods of transportation;
- make the best use of existing parking facilities;
- reduce employees’ commuter stress
- reduce energy consumption; and
- reduce environmental pollution.
Commute Trip Reduction Coordinator
The Commute Trip Reduction Coordinator will provide transit and ride-sharing information, act as liaison between Highline College and King County Metro Bus System, assist ridership registration and carpooling for use on the campus, and administer the employee reimbursement program.
Francesca Fender is the Transportation Coordinator for Highline College. Questions regarding this program should be directed to the Transportation Coordinator at ffender@highline.edu or by telephone, (206) 592-3281.
Compressed Work Week
In accordance with Highline College policy an alternative work schedule would allow a full-time staff member to eliminate at least one work day every two weeks by working longer hours during the remaining days, resulting in fewer commute trips by the employee. This includes both weekly and biweekly arrangements, of which the most typical being four 10-hour days or 80 hours in nine days, but also may include other arrangements.
At Highline College, this procedure is, at present, limited to the period between the end of the spring quarter session and the start of the fall quarter session. Implementation will be contingent upon agreement between the staff member and his/her supervisor. (See details.)
Other Provisions
- Telecommuting alternatives may be appropriate as necessary
- Bicycle storage racks are located on the east side of Building 30, west side of Building 6, east and west side of Building 8, and east side of Building 25.
- Shower facilities are available in Building 27
- Paved pedestrian pathways with appropriate separation from vehicle pathways exist along the North Road and all parking lots
CTR Related Links
Guaranteed Ride Home
The Guaranteed Ride Home program works like a safety net to take the worry out of ridesharing. It allows faculty and staff to carpool or vanpool worry-free, confident that the College has a program in place that will provide a ride if they really need one.
The Guaranteed Ride Home program promotes ridesharing by eliminating one of the most frequently cited reasons people opt to drive alone: the fear that they won’t have a vehicle in an emergency or if they can’t leave work at their usual time. The Guaranteed Ride Home programs counteract this fear with the reassurance of a reliable backup ride, at minimal or no cost, to get them to their destination quickly.
- Each faculty member or employee can take up to 8 taxi trips per year.
- Each taxi trip can be up to 60 miles one way. If the trip exceeds 60 miles, the employee pays the difference directly to the driver.
- Driver tips are not covered under this program. Tips are the passenger’s responsibility.
- Faculty, staff or family member’s unexpected illness.
- Working late unexpectedly (faculty or staff member learns that day that he/she must work late that day), such that the normal ride will not be available. Subsequent overtime days known to the faculty or staff member will not be eligible.
- Missing normal ride home for reasons outside the person’s control — e.g. carpool driver had an emergency, transit user missed the last bus home.
- Other emergency situations, or unanticipated schedule changes that occur during the work day.
The Guarantee Ride Home CANNOT be used for:
- For pre-scheduled doctor or other appointments.
- To transport faculty or staff who have incurred injuries or illness related to their occupation. Taxis should never be used where an ambulance is appropriate, nor is taxi service meant to replace an employers’ legal responsibility under workers’ compensation regulations.
- Other situations, where, in the opinion of the program coordinator, alternate transportation could have been arranged ahead of time.
- To take ferry commuters any father than the ferry dock, or to take ferry commuters home by driving around.
- The trip must begin from work and can end at home or another location.
- Emergency related interim-stops are permitted if they are requested and approved by the College when the trip is requested.
- If the trip includes a ferry ride, the taxi will take the passenger as far as the ferry terminal.
Bus Routes to Highline College
King County Metro provides public transit service to the college that includes on-campus bus stops. You can purchase bus fare with cash or with an ORCA card. To find out more about ORCA cards, visit the website at www.orcacard.com.
Bus Routes that serve Highline College are:
Route #165
Green River College, Kent Station, Highline College (S. 240th St. and 26th Place – the horseshoe drive near Building 1), Normandy Park, Burien Transit Center.
Route #156
Highline College (near Building 29), Des Moines, Sea-Tac Airport Station, Southcenter
RapidRide A Line
The A Line has 50 stations and stops. A station near Highline College provides connections to buses serving Kent, Des Moines, and Burien. The S. 176th Street station near Sea-Tac International Airport provides connections to Link light rail and buses that serve Pierce County, Auburn, Kent, and Burien.
Find out more at the King County Metro Trip Planner website: tripplanner.kingcounty.gov
Highline employees: see Human Resources website for reimbursement information. Please note that we are currently not accepting reimbursements due to the suspension of employee parking fees.
