Magnolia In Motion encourages Magnolia residents to try alternative modes of transportation rather than driving alone.

Magnolia In Motion asks neighborhood residents to pledge to reduce solo car trips by 2 per week for 10 weeks beginning now. Solo car trips can be replaced by walking, biking, car pooling, or taking the bus. Trips can also be replaced by staying in Magnolia rather than leaving the neighborhood. Participants will receive fun incentives along the way.

The centerpiece of Magnolia In Motion is a colorful and informative mailing to 3000 Magnolia households the week after Summerfest. Materials will also be available at the Saturday Farmers Market, and participating businesses. Interested residents can sign up online at www.kingcounty.gov/inmotion or by mail.

Every Magnolia resident who registers will receive 10 Metro Free Ride tickets. Participants who report their first week of results will receive a free In Motion tote bag. Participants who continue to report their results will receive gift certificates and vouchers from Magnolia businesses, and also be eligible for prize drawings.

Magnolia In Motion is sponsored by Sustainable Magnolia and King County Metro, with the support of the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce and funding from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. 20 Magnolia businesses are Premier Sponsors of Magnolia In Motion. Each Premier Sponsor has donated $100 in gift certificates to be distributed to participants who report their results.

In Motion was developed by King County Metro in 2004 and has been implemented in over a dozen neighborhoods in Seattle since then. Participants in these neighborhoods together have saved 12,000 solo driving trips, 190,000 miles of driving, 9000 gallons of gas and 180,000 pounds of CO2.

Magnolia In Motion needs your help!!! We need volunteers to deliver yard signs and table at August and September Farmers Markets.

Transportation choices such as walking, biking, car/ van pooling and public transportation have much less impact on our climate than driving alone. Choosing one of these options, even some of the time, fosters healthier travel behavior.

Benefits of walking, biking, carpooling and riding the bus include:

• better health and fitness
• less congestion, less noise, less fossil fuels in the atmosphere
• less expensive
• slowing down, noticing weather and topography and flora and fauna
• more contact with neighbors
• better use of public investments in infrastructure such as sidewalks, bike paths, and buses
• support of local businesses
• modeling sustainable behavior for children
• a feeling of ownership and investment in your neighborhood

To read about the experience of using alternatives to automobiles for local trips, see Lyon Terry's  Queen Anne & Magnolia News Guest Editorial .

Join us in putting Magnolia In Motion!! Click the HERE to register or login to record your progress.