Bike Business Forum: A gateway to best practices

Cascade’s Bike Business Forum recently convened at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to learn more about best practices for employee bicycle amenities. Between the line-up of excellent speakers and the tour of the incredible bicycle commuting amenities at the Gates Foundation, attendees came away with insight, information and inspiration.

Georgi Zatloka, a property administrator with CB Richard Ellis at the bike-vibrant 2201 Westlake Building shared both on-the-ground and high-level strategies for tenants, property managers and building owners.

Next up, Bree Moore, Transportation Program Administrator for the Gates Foundation,  shared how bike commuting has more than doubled bike commuting at the new headquarters through great amenities,  implementing supportive policies, and deploying information and education their employees.

Director of Transportation for Seattle Children’s Hospital, Paulo Nunes-Ueno, topped off the presentations by sharing how Children’s Livable Street Initiative, will create safe family-friendly bicycle infrastructure to and around the main hospital campus.

Tour de Best To see best practices in action, participants were treated to a guided tour of the commuter amenities in the gorgeous Gates Foundation headquarters. The commitment to strategic investments and innovative solutions was evident in their bike commuting amenities as in all their work, including:

• * abundant indoor employee bike parking
• * a special ventilated mud room to dry off wet clothes during the day
• * well appointed locker rooms and shower facilities
• * abundant  visitor bike parking (some of which is ccovered)

Building on the best Cascade has been actively working with many leading businesses around the region to support the implementation of best practices both on-site and on the streets. In fact, the Bike Business Forum grew out these vibrant relationships. At the conclusion of the business forum, Cascade announced the next exciting development in that work. In early 2012, Cascade will be launching a best practices guide for bike-friendly businesses as well as a certification system that will score businesses.  Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new program in 2012. To learn more, get in touch with me.