Oregon Health and Science University
From PortlandAfoot
Oregon Health and Science University is the City of Portland's largest employer and a solid provider of benefits for low-car commuters.
The university and adjoining hospital have four campuses in the area: On Marquam Hill in southwest Portland, in the South Waterfront, in downtown Portland and on its West Campus in Beaverton.
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[edit] Incentives for alternative commuters
OHSU offers benefits for bike, transit, carpool and vanpool commuters alike, including:
- Free use of the Portland Streetcar and Portland Aerial Tram for anyone with an OHSU badge.
- 69 percent discounts on annual TriMet passes, renewed each September and pro-rated for people who sign up midyear. As of April 2011, an OHSU-affiliated rider can buy a pass from the university for $300.
- 72 percent discounts on annual C-Tran express bus passes for Washington residents. As of April 2011, a C-Tran express pass costs an OHSU-affiliated rider $375.
- Monetary rewards for every 30 trips to work or school by bike: Either a month of free parking or a $50 pre-tax credit. Because each month has about 20 work days, the cash reward typically comes to about $35 a month pre-tax for those who do not drive.
- Points toward a $200 annual incentive for exercise or community involvement, for people who commute by transit, bike or bus.
Anyone with an OHSU pass, including volunteers, students and long-term contractors, is eligible for the transit discount. University Medical Group and OHSU Foundation employees are also eligible.
"We have approx. 11,000 people at OHSU who are eligible for TriMet passes and somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000-2,000 eligible to purchase a C-Tran pass," Christopher Woo, a transportation project coordinator for the university, wrote in April 2011. "Of those eligible, approx. 3,800 will purchase a transit pass through OHSU this year."
[edit] Participation rates
As reported by BikePortland.org, the bike incentive program had enrolled 1,200 of OHSU's total 12,400 employees. Of the participants, 43% ranked the cash rewards among their top three motivators for biking to work.
[edit] See also
[edit] Permanent auto parking shortage
Parking is scarce at OHSU, especially its Marquam Hill campus, which has about 4,000 parking spaces but draws up to 20,000 people on a busy day. As a result, general OHSU employees face waiting lists of 3 to 5 years for a parking space.
OHSU departments can choose to pay extra for employees to jump this queue if their job requires vehicle access. As of July 2010, the fee was $82 per exempt employee per month.
The university has few long-term solutions for this shortage, OHSU multimodal outreach specialist John Landolfe said in July 2010. The city's Marquam Hill Plan forbids additional car parking, and the hill's winding roads can't be widened for topographical reasons.
Commuters frequently ask why the shortage can't be fixed, Landolfe said.
"They're like, why don't we just make more spaces? And we're like, you wouldn't like living in that world," Landolfe said. "It's already a traffic jam every day at 5 p.m."
[edit] Aerial tram
OHSU operates the Portland Aerial Tram on behalf of the City of Portland. It is the primary user of the project, and was also primary funder. The tram is designed to help OHSU greatly expand its presence in the South Waterfront over the coming decades.
[edit] Bike valet service through mid-September
Marquam Hill Bicycle commuters will continue to have help stowing their bikes at the bottom of the Portland Aerial Tram even after Sam Jackson Park Road reopens Sept. 2.
The City of Portland had closed Sam Jackson Park Road for erosion repairs from July 11, 2011, through September 2. As a result, many commuters headed to the South Waterfront on weekdays, crowding the tram. During the road closure, bikes have been forbidden during busy hours on the tram.
OHSU's free "bike valet" service at the bottom of the tram, which offers fenced, supervised parking 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, will remain open until "at least the second week of September," OHSU bike specialist John Landolfe wrote in an email Aug. 26.
The university suggested emailing bike@ohsu.edu with any questions.
[edit] External links
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