Sammamish commission urges residents to join October 'Switch Your Trips' commute challenge

Commission staff asked members to promote a statewide “Switch Your Trips Washington” challenge running in October that rewards residents who replace drive-alone trips with walking, transit, carpooling or other sustainable travel. The commission discussed outreach tactics, target audiences and materials for social media and neighborhood groups.

Swan, the staff presenter, explained the campaign mechanics: participants sign up online, log sustainable trips, and are entered in prize drawings after at least 10 trips. Swan said, “every time that you are replacing a drive alone trip with public transportation, carpooling, a more sustainable option, you're able to get credit for that.” The platform requires participants to be 18 or older to create an account; students can participate by partnering with a parent account.

Commissioners discussed outreach channels: in-person events, sustainability ambassadors, HOAs and school newsletters. Staff noted some jurisdictions (for example Bellevue) will use local tracking platforms that feed into the statewide program; Sammamish residents can log trips taken outside city limits but list Sammamish residency. Swan pointed to bonus entries for photo or testimonial submissions and said the campaign can help residents learn new routes and try transit or active modes.

No formal action was taken; staff asked commissioners to sign up, post in neighborhood groups and consider short videos or testimonials for the city’s social channels. Staff also said the commission will staff a table at the Sept. 17 farmers market to promote the challenge and provide QR codes for sign-up.