2008 GTEC

A | A | Search | Contact | Newsletter

What is a GTEC?: A GTEC is a defined boundary of dense mixed development with major employers, small businesses and residential units, within an established urban growth area. The goal of the GTEC program is to provide greater access to employment and residential centers while decreasing the proportion of commuters driving alone during peak periods on the state highway system. GTECs are intended to more closely integrate the local jurisdiction land use and transportation planning, as well as requiring a stronger partnership with local transit agencies.
What are the GTEC Studies?: Growth and Transportation Efficiency Center Program. The GTEC program is a collection of jurisdiction-adopted goals and policies, facility and service improvements and marketing strategies about how the jurisdiction will help make progress for reducing drive along trip and vehicle miles traveled for the GTEC over the next six years. The program also specifies a financial plan and organizational structure for implementing the program strategies and services. Building upon the success of the existing commute trip reduction (CTR) program, the jurisdiction strives to meet the goals of the plan for the future by working in partnership and coordination with other agencies.

The GTEC program has been developed through extensive involvement by employers, organizations, and individuals from throughout the jurisdiction who helped identify strategies and ways for successful achievement of the goals.

The Cities of Bellevue, Kirkland, Olympia, Puyallup, Seattle, Spokane, Tukwila, Tacoma, Vancouver and the Washington State Dept. of Transportation are conducting a survey as part of the state’s Growth and Transportation Efficiency Center (GTEC) program, to measure and track progress toward transportation goals in each City’s GTEC Plan. By measuring commute trip behavior and the transportation choices people make, the Cities are better able to understand the effect of policies and investments, which can then translate into improved services for your employees as well as reduced congestion on the region’s roadways.

The results of the survey effort will be used to improve transportation options, which aid in maintaining and enhancing economic growth and quality of life in Washington State.

The City is working with Opinion Research Northwest, to administer a survey to understand the types of transportation employees use to get to work, the length of their commute and their usual work schedules.

In May and June, Opinion Research Northwest will be calling a set of randomly selected businesses in each city to participate in this very important survey effort. If you are among those randomly selected for the survey, we encourage and very much appreciate your business’s participation. The survey can be filled out in either a paper or online format, and will take your employees approximately ten minutes to complete.

If you have any questions about this survey, you can visit the following websites to learn more about the City’s GTEC plan and this survey effort, or contact the TDM Coordinator in your City.

www.wsdot.wa.gov/tdm/gtec

http://www.opinionresearch/northwest - click on GTEC under the heading Current Studies
How many businesses are included in the survey?: 200 businesses in each City will be asked to participate. Employees at each business will be asked to complete the survey – either via paper or online.
How was I chosen for the survey?: Your business has been selected randomly to participate in the survey. Within a month you will be contacted by Opinion Research Nortwhest, a company hired by WSDOT to administer the survey.
Why is my participation important?: The participation of both your business and your employees is very important The results of the survey effort will be used to improve transportation options, which aid in maintaining and enhancing economic growth and quality of life in Washington State.
How do I know you’ll keep my information confidential?: We are required by law and business standards to keep your information confidential. After all the interviews are completed, any identifying information you provide - your name, address, email address and phone number - are removed from the data file and destroyed.

Opinion Research Northwest is a founding member of the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO). We abide by the strict business and ethics guidelines of this nationally recognized organization. For more information on the Code of Ethics that member organizations must sign, go to http://www.casro.org/codeofstandards.cfm.
I would like to talk to someone at ORC-NW or at the State about this research, who should I contact?: If you have further questions about any aspect of the GTEC survey and would like to speak directly to someone at ORC-NW, please call (866) 461-0700 and ask for the GTEC Study. Or you may send an e-mail to jrockwell@nwrg.com.

At the state, you may contact the GTEC Program, Public Transportation Division, Washington State Department of Transportation – their phone number is 360.705.7000

What is a GTEC?

What are the GTEC Studies?

How many businesses are included in the survey?

How was I chosen for the survey?

Why is my participation important?

How do I know you’ll keep my information confidential?

I would like to talk to someone at ORC-NW or at the State about this research, who should I contact?