Regional commute‑trip reduction program officials update Lacey planners on post‑pandemic shifts

Regional commute‑trip reduction (CTR) staff told the Lacey Planning Commission that surveys and employer reports show a major shift in how people commute: work‑from‑home rates have increased substantially, and drive‑alone trips have dropped compared with pre‑pandemic surveys.

Veronica Jarvis, who manages the regional commute‑trip production program, told commissioners that Washington’s CTR law — enacted in 1991 to reduce pollution and congestion — requires large employers in affected urban areas to prepare and implement employer programs and to report every two years. “Employers must create and submit their CTR program report every 2 years,” Jarvis said.

Jarvis and her colleague George Castillo, an assistant planner who has worked on CTR matters, said Thurston County’s program differs from some large metropolitan areas because it covers many state agencies regardless of worksite size; Thurston County thus manages about 80 worksites in its program. Staff said the county maintains a statewide CTR survey tool and supports employer Employee Transportation Coordinators (ETCs) who collect commuting data and run in‑worksite promotions.

Jarvis presented Lacey worksite survey results from the end of 2023 showing a large share of telework: staff reported that 56% of worksite respondents indicated teleworking, 39% reported driving alone and roughly 5% used other modes such as transit, biking or walking. Jarvis said past surveys showed drive‑alone rates as high as 80–85% and that the current split represents a substantial change in commute patterns.

Staff described typical CTR requirements: employers in designated areas with 100 or more full‑time employees during the 6‑to‑9 a.m. peak must appoint an ETC, conduct surveys and offer commute options (carpool, transit, biking, vanpool, telework). Staff said the program works with major local employers — Jarvis cited a large hospital worksite with about 3,500 employees that uses QR codes and other methods to survey shift workers — and with transit providers to promote alternatives.

Jarvis and George said the regional CTR plan is being updated (local CTR plans typically update every four years), and that staff consulted transit agencies and major employers while developing draft recommendations. They also noted a related tax‑credit program that subsidized employer commute benefits is set to expire June 30, 2025; a bill in the legislature would extend and change the tax credit, staff said.

Commissioners asked about survey timing and data collection logistics; Jarvis said the Lacey worksite survey data cited were collected at the end of 2023 and that the next biennial reporting and survey will occur at the end of 2025. Staff offered to provide further information on specific worksites and tools for ETCs.

No formal action was taken; staff said the local CTR plan update will be shared with the commission and City Council for review.