Summer is just around the corner! We cannot wait to spend more time outside utilizing all of the great transportation resources our city has. We wanted to spend this time outlining some of the wonderful transit opportunities that are available in King County this summer.

But first! Our last ORCA LIFT enrollment event of the year is THIS THURSDAY June 6th from 2pm-4pm at the University Bookstore Cafe on University Ave. Check out our Facebook Event for more information about if you qualify and what you need to bring to the event. We are hoping this event will be especially helpful for UW students whose U-PASS deactivates on June 14th while school is out for the Summer. As a graduate student myself, I know I will personally be registering for ORCA LIFT at this event so I can get around on public transit this summer.

But what will you do with this incredibly discounted bus pass? There are so many options! One of our favorite additions to Seattle and King County’s transit system has been the Trailead Direct, which connects riders to four wonderful hikes in North Bend and Issaquah. Now you can have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of our region without worrying about car emissions from your single occupancy vehicle. The featured hikes are: Cougar Mountain, Mailbox Peak, Mount Si, and the Issaquah Alps. How will you ever choose which one to start with?! Check out this awesome blog post from the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) for more information about when the buses run and other helpful tips and tricks. See you out on the trails!

Let us not also forget that last month was Bike Everywhere Month 

with events all across the city celebrating bicyclists. U District Let’s Go attended an event on May 17th sponsored by UW Transportation that saw over 350 cyclists! U District Let’s Go was there 

handing out safety bike lights, reflective snap bracelets, and of course our new safety resource magnets. It also helped that we had a stellar view of the University of Washington’s campus from our table! Even though Bike Everywhere Month is over, bike riding season is just beginning! Hop on a LIME bike or JUMP bike and join the thousands of other folks across the city riding the Burke Gilman through the U District. Remember, if bike rental costs seem a little steep, you might qualify for LIME Access – the discounted fare option for LIME users. Check HERE to see if you qualify. If you already use ORCA LIFT, you automatically qualify for LIME Access. Pretty nifty, right? With LIME Access, you only have to pay $0.50 to unlock your bike and $.07 per minute to ride – a 50% discount! So grab a bike and head on out there to soak in this Seattle summer rays while you can.

At the end of the day, there are so many ways we can engage with our public transit system during the summer. Why would you want to waste these gorgeous Seattle summer days stuck in traffic? Opt for public transit and spend more time soaking in those summer rays. Transportation Choices Coalition is hosting Ride Transit Month in June to help support folks getting outside and utilizing our public transit system more. Part of that is making a pledge for how much transit you’ll be using! Check out The Pledge website and make your commitment to using more transit. We use transit to get to work every day, so our pledge is going to be pretty high! It is a great way to continue being accountable to cutting back on emissions. And with all of the great options to choose from, who wouldn’t want to ride transit all summer?