Transportation Archives - Page 3 of 3

Carpool Options Expand for Employees on the BNMC

May 21, 2013 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Employees, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Parking, Transportation8 Comments

GO BNMC has made new Carpool Only parking spots available in the 589 Ellicott Street lot and the Michigan-Goodrich Garage. Starting Monday, May 27th, carpoolers must have a special “Carpool Parking Tag” to gain access to these spots.
If you are a current carpooler or are interested in carpooling, please call 716.218.7351 to register you and your rideshare partners for the new parking tags. There are no additional costs.

Also, to make carpooling easier, registered carpool parking tag holders can now be given an additional parking tag that they can share with their rideshare partner. There are no extra costs for this additional tag.

Please keep in mind that only one parking tag will be allowed in the lot or garage at a time to avoid abuse of this system. The parking gates will not open for the additional tag if the other tag is already inside the lot/garage.

As demand for carpool parking grows, GO BNMC will expand the amount of designated carpool spaces and adjust carpool policies to make it as easy as possible to choose this economical commuting option.

Do you want to try carpooling, but need to find someone that to rideshare with? As a GO BNMC member, you can connect with other potential carpoolers that work on or near the Medical Campus. All you have to do is sign-in to your account, see where interested carpoolers live, determine if their work schedule coincides with yours, and see what their ridesharing preferences are. Once you have found a potential match, you can send them a message to jumpstart the conversation. It’s easy, safe, and can be a great way to meet new people.

For more information or to register for carpool parking tags, please call 716.218.7351 or email gobnmc@bnmc-old.local. Visit www.gobnmc-old.local to learn more about carpooling and other alternative transportation options for employees on the BNMC.

NOTE: The above carpool information does not wp-contently to employees who park in the Roswell Garage on Michigan and Carlton.

GO BNMC Bicycle Commuter Breakfast Success In Part Due to Donors

May 17, 2013 by BNMCin GO BNMC, Transportation6 Comments

The GO BNMC Bicycle Commuter Breakfast that kicked off National Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 17th was successful in part due to the donations by the sponsors below:
Bagel Jay’s (located at 2130 Delaware Avenue) offers delicious deli favorites including fresh-baked bagels, signature tuna fish, and homemade cream cheese shmears, mouth-watering bagels, dark roasted coffees, deli sandwiches, soups, salads, and more.

Paula’s Donuts (located at 380 Kenmore Avenue and 8560 Main Stret) is a family owned and operated business. Hand cut donuts are baked fresh daily on the premises, the old fashioned way. Paula’s has over 30 varieties of donuts as well as pastries, muffins, bagels, breakfast sandwiches, carrot cake, coffee, cwp-contentuccino, tea, hot chocolate and cold beverages.

Coffee Culture (located at 448 Elmwood Avenue & 50 Fountain Plaza, Suite 115) offers high quality whole roasted coffee beans that are blended and roasted to our specifications to ensure each freshly brewed cup of coffee, espresso, latte and cwp-contentuccino is deliciously satisfying.

Mazurek’s Bakery (located at 543 S Park Avenue) is the neighborhood bakery, established in 1933, offering fresh breads, pastries, cookies, cakes and desserts from our brick oven.

Tops Friendly Markets is a local grocery chain store that has grown since its establishment in the early 1920s. Located within every Buffalo neighborhood and throughout the region, Tops provides fresh produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, a carry-out cafe, deli and pharmacy services.

Coverage about the event:

Peddling to a healthier lifestyle on ‘National Bike to Work Day’

Alternative Energy Cruise Night

May 13, 2013 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Energy, Event, Sustainability, Transportation5 Comments

Buffalo Green Projects, LTD brings the Alternative Energy Cruise Night to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus for the second time this Thursday, May 16 at the 589 Ellicott Street surface lot. All modes of green transportation are encouraged to participate in this fun event showcasing better ways to get around.
A community organization, Buffalo Green Projects, LTD focuses on green initiatives throughout the WNY region. Join Buffalo Green Projects as they welcome car dealers and individual owners as they put their alternative energy vehicles on display.

Not familiar with different types of green transportation options? Attend this event and learn about the difference between electric and hybrid vehicles, and other green transportation options. Check out the cars like the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf and a Mercedes Benz that runs on vegetable oil amongst other cars that run on liquids like diesels and flex fuels. NFTA will bring one of the biggest multi-passenger vehicles that help many save money in the hybrid bus.

Ride your bike and park it at one of the bike racks available or drive your traditional gas car so you get out to enjoy music, food and see some of the coolest cars of the future that will most likely become commonplace.

Don’t miss this exciting, innovative and fun green event!

May = National Bike Month

May 1, 2013 by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Transportation, Wellness

A number of events are lined up to celebrate National Bike Month here in Buffalo. Created to promote bicycling as a way to have fun, exercise and get from one point to another, National Bike Month is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists. As a way to celebrate ways to preserve your health and the environment, enjoy the community at large and join a nationwide movement connecting bike-riders everywhere, this month is sure to offer frequent cyclists and those who just ride for fun the opportunity to help promote active and healthy lifestyles.
Join cyclists in your community by biking to work, school, destinations, and to various events in Buffalo to bring awareness to the importance of bicycle-friendly communities and the benefits that come with biking on a regular basis.

Events:

National Bike to School Day: Wednesday, May 8th

Bicycle Commuter Breakfast: Friday, May 17th 6:30 a.n. – 10 a.m. on the BNMC @ 929 Washington Street

National Bike to Work Day: Friday May 17th

National Bike to Work Week: Monday, May 13th – Friday, May 17th

Download the GObike Buffalo Bike Month events poster for an additional list of events around Buffalo. Visit GObike Buffalo for more information about creating sustainable transportation communities.

GO BNMC Continues to Provide Incentives for Employees to Try Transit

April 30, 2013 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Employees, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Sustainability, Transportation

The “Try Transit This Spring” campaign continues as one of many efforts to encourage employees not to drive alone to work on the Medical Campus. The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. acquired funds totaling $393,432 to produce initiatives and partnerships that promote sustainable access and smart commuting. Various initiatives are underway to increase use of alternative transportation options by employees in order for the 1 million annual patients and visitors to have sufficient parking options.

After well over 200 2-week free transit passes were given to employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus for them to try public transit from April 15th-29th, GO BNMC is now offering subsidized 3-month NFTA Metro Rail & Bus passes. Employees on the Medical Campus that do not already commute using alternative transportation can qualify to receive 3 months worth of passes for a total $60 (less than a third of the total cost of riding the Metro Rail & Bus unlimited for those same 3 months).

The free and subsidized passes are just one of the ways GO BNMC is encouraging employees to take alternative modes of transportation. Incentives are offered to all GO BNMC members who commute to work by walking, biking, carpooling, vanpooling or taking the Metro Bus & Rail on a regular basis. Members can win gift certificates to local retail businesses and restaurants, and transit passes that are raffled off monthly.

For employees that live on the outskirts of the city of Buffalo, the NFTA Express Bus picks up and drops off at two designated Park & Ride locations: Route 69E – Alden, Appletree Business Park, 2875 Union Rd., Cheektowaga, NY 14227 and Route 72E – Orchard Park, ECC South Campus, 4041 Southwestern Blvd., Orchard Park, NY 14127. The express routes arrive on the Medical Campus around 6:40 a.m. and depart the Medical Campus around 3:30 p.m. at the Allen/Medical Campus Station.

To provide a peace of mind for employees that commute using an alternative transportation more than twice a week, there is the Guaranteed Ride Home program. The Guaranteed Ride Home program allows each GO BNMC member that signs up to receive 4 vouchers to use to get home (a free taxi ride for up to $60 excluding tip) from the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. This means that if there isn't a convenient alternative transportation option immediately available, members can simply pull out the wallet-sized voucher and follow the instructions to get home. It's that simple. Each time a voucher is used and turned in to the taxi driver, another will arrive in the mail until all of the 4 vouchers are used.

To learn if you qualify to receive a subsidized Metro Bus & Rail pass or vouchers for the Guaranteed Ride Home program, call 716.566.2316 or e-mail gobnmc@bnmc-old.local. For more about GO BNMC, visit www.gobnmc-old.local.

Follow @GOBNMC on Twitter for more news and updates.

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. Secures Nearly $400,000 to Support Alternative Transportation Efforts for 12,000 Employees

April 8, 2013 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Employees, Parking, Transportation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 8, 2013

For more information, contact:

Kari Bonaro, Director of Communications
kbonaro@bnmc-old.local or 716.218.7157

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. Secures Nearly $400,000 to Support Alternative Transportation Efforts for 12,000 Employees

Initiatives Designed to Reduce Employees Driving By Themselves to Work, Ensures Ample Patient Parking

(Buffalo, NY) – The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC, Inc.) has secured $393,432 through a combination of cost-shared research agreements from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and two separate grants from the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) Job Access-Reverse Commute (JARC) program over the past two years to advance alternative transportation efforts on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and surrounding neighborhoods.

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is a 120-acre home to the region’s top clinical, research, and medical education institutions, including Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and the University at Buffalo, and nearly 60 private sector companies. More than 12,000 people come to work at the Medical Campus every day, an increase from 8,500 in 2008. An additional two million square feet of clinical, research and development space has been added in the past few years, with another two million square feet (and 5,000 more employees) slated to come online in the next five years.

This rapid growth has encouraged the BNMC, Inc., the not-for-profit charged with coordinating the sustainable planning, development, and enhancement of the growing urban campus, to get creative with the diverse ways they can encourage people to access the campus.

Some of these efforts include:

Launching GO BNMC, a campus-wide movement to support smart commuting;
Forming a transportation management association, a stakeholder group of both Medical Campus and community partners;
Strengthening partnerships with Buffalo CarShare and BikeShare and GObike Buffalo;
Conducting a mitigation study helping prioritize complete streets infrastructure projects around the Medical Campus to make the area more accessible by modes other than cars;
Forging a continued relationship with the NFTA that has already resulted in route changes and additions to better serve the BNMC population; and
Collaborating with other businesses and partners off of the Medical Campus, such as the Buffalo Sabres, to develop mutually beneficial transportation options.
Increasing the number of neighborhood residents employed at BNMC institutions by better informing them of the career and training opportunities available on and around the Medical Campus.

“Creating an accessible destination, including ample parking, for the more than one million annual patients and visitors is our first priority,” according to Bill Smith, Director of Campus Access. “To make this hwp-contenten, we realized we have to reduce the number of employees driving by themselves to work. It starts with changing behaviors. We were extremely fortunate that NYSERDA came on as a partner early on in this process. They’ve really enabled us to get our initiative off the ground and find additional funding partners to expand our offerings, including the federally-funded Guaranteed Ride Home program we will launch next month.”

At the beginning of 2012, wp-contentroximately 88 percent of the employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus drive to work by themselves. However, surveys have shown that about 75 percent of employees would consider ridesharing and taking public transit if a ride home was guaranteed in an emergency. Another 50 percent of employees said that financial incentives and rewards would help make a difference in changing their commuting behavior.

“The alternative transportation options being offered to Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus employees complement the innovative transportation programs the state is utilizing to reduce the consumption of fossil fuel,” said Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO, NYSERDA. “Governor Cuomo has stressed that public-private partnerships like this one are the cornerstone to creating a more robust economy and a sustainable environment.”

For this incentive program, NYSERDA had partnered with the New York State Department of Transportation.

“By expanding the transportation options available to employees at the Buffalo Niagara Medical campus, we will enhance safety and mobility for thousands of commuters each day and improve their quality of life,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald. “Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, innovative partnerships like this one are making transportation improvements that have lasting benefits, improving highway safety, encouraging economic growth and protecting air quality and the environment.”

The BNMC, Inc. has set goals to reduce the percentage of employees driving to work by 13 percent over the next five years and up to 25 percent by the year 2030. Since launching the GO BNMC, an online alternative commuter toolkit, in September 2012, more than 360 employees have already signed up. BNMC, Inc. plans on at least doubling this number with a full scale marketing campaign coming this spring.

Providing as many quality transportation options as possible not only begins to help solve the looming employee parking challenge, it also supports the overall BNMC sustainability goal of ensuring employees have the ability to choose greener, healthier, and more affordable options to get to work.

A breakdown of the three grants include:

Transportation Management Association (TMA) and TDM Toolkit ($120,999 cost-shared research agreement through NYSERDA/NYSDOT ) This is for the establishment and first year activities of a Transportation Management Association (TMA) that works to advance the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies of the BNMC. Members of the TMA include: BNMC, Inc., representatives from the Medical Campus institutions, NYSERDA, NYSDOT, NFTA, GBNRTC, BUDC, GoBike Buffalo and Buffalo Carshare. The TMA works to demonstrate the effectiveness of TDM strategies in reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled, enhancing alternative transportation options, and increasing mobility of the BNMC community. This is done through the development and production of marketing and educational materials and a web-based toolkit (online at www.gobnmc-old.local) to educate employees on their options, enhancing these transportation options, providing free and reduced NFTA transit passes to incentivize new riders, and free Buffalo CarShare and GoBike memberships.

Guaranteed Ride Home ($36,253 funded through FTA JARC ) The program will provide employees of the BNMC who do not drive alone to work with a timely and free means of transportation (i.e., taxi rides) in the event of a personal or family emergency, illness or unexpected employment-related delay, such as an unscheduled overtime. This program is designed to promote the use of transit, ridesharing, and alternative modes among BNMC employees by providing a safety net for those who do not drive to work.

Community Transportation Program ($206,180 funded through FTA JARC and $30,000 in local donations) This program is a collaborative effort between the BNMC, Inc., Buffalo CarShare, and GoBike Buffalo to facilitate and encourage the use of alternative transportation modes and public transit among employees on the BNMC and residents of the surrounding neighborhoods. In addition, the Program aims to increase the number of neighborhood residents employed at BNMC institutions by better informing them of the career and training opportunities available on and around the Medical Campus. This grant includes funding for a state-of-the art, secure, and dry bicycle storage facility located at the corner of Virginia and Ellicott Streets, designed by local architect Brad Wales and currently under construction.

About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC, Inc.) is the umbrella organization created in 2001 by the anchor institutions located within the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The BNMC, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that fosters conversation and collaboration among its member institutions, the 55+ private sector companies on the Medical Campus, 12,000 employees, and the community; coordinates activities related to sustainable planning, development and enhancement of its 120-acre space; and works to create a distinct, innovative environment that provides opportunities for entrepreneurship and active and healthy living. The BNMC, Inc. also works with partners throughout the community to develop healthier, greener, and more economical transportation solutions to meet the needs of our growing urban campus and the region as a whole.

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Try Transit This Spring with a Free 2-Week Metro Pass

April 4, 2013 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Employees, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Outreach, Transportation

With warm weather fast wp-contentroaching, there is no better time to join the growing number of BNMC and downtown workers who are commuting by Metro Rail and Bus.
Interested in seeing the benefits? GO BNMC is offering employees who work on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus free 2-week Metro passes that are good for unlimited Rail and Bus trips, providing the ideal opportunity to see if these commuting options are right for you.

The passes are only for employees on the BNMC who currently do not take transit to work, and can only be used between April 15^th and April 29^th.

To take advantage of this free offer, email gobnmc@bnmc-old.local or call 566-2316 and request your pass.

But hurry! Supplies are limited and passes will be available on a first-come basis.

BNMC Hosts GO Party to Highlight Alternative Ways for Employees to Get to Work

March 5, 2013 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Employees, Event, Healthy Communities, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 5, 2013

For more information, contact:

Kari Bonaro, Director of Communications
kbonaro@bnmc-old.local or 716.218.7157

MEDIA ALERT

BNMC Hosts GO Party to Highlight Alternative Ways for Employees to Get to Work

About 100 Employees Expected to Attend the Transportation-Themed Event Focusing on Smarter, Greener, Healthier Ways to Get to Work

WHAT: GO Party, a free hwp-contenty hour event for employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) who are members of GO BNMC. GO BNMC is a campus-wide movement to connect employees with healthier, greener, and affordable transportation options.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 6^th from 4-7pm

WHERE: Ulrich’s Tavern, 674 Ellicott Street

This free event ($5 for non-members) will highlight innovative and economical ways in which GO BNMC, a commuting and rewards initiative, aims to advance an innovative and sustainable transportation system that focuses on walking, bicycling, Metro Bus and Rail, and carpooling and vanpooling over drive-alone trips to and from the Medical Campus.

Employees will learn about the different transportation options available on the BNMC that can help them save money, get fit, and create a more sustainable environment, with the overall goal to improve employee’s abilities to get around in healthier, greener, and more economical ways.

GO BNMC is a campaign of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. in partnership with NYSERDA & NYSDOT.

About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.

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State-of-the-Art Bike Storage Shelter – Coming Soon!

October 29, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Environment, Transportation6 Comments

In an effort to continue to encourage employees to bike to work, the BNMC has partnered with GO Bike Buffalo on the construction and management of a state-of-the-art bike storage facility located on the corner of Ellicott and North Oak Streets. The facility will be completed by the end of the year and will open in Spring 2013.
Approximately 20 bicycle commuters will soon be able to securely access and lock their bikes inside the new facility without having to worry about theft, vandalism or inclement weather. Other amenities and maintenance items will also be made available. The creation of bicycle commuter storage facilities is a natural extension of our goal to promote the use of alternative transportation modes for a more active, sustainable and healthy BNMC.

Commuting by bike presents a fun way to exercise, improve your mental health and reduce stress. It also saves money! As a GO BNMC member, cyclists get rewarded for biking to work. Members receive a free GO Bike Buffalo membership, the opportunity to enter raffles and win prizes, and can participate in the Bicycle Commuter Tax Program. Help create a sustainable environment by reducing gas emissions as you choose to bike to work rather than drive.

Funding for the facility was made available by the Federal Transit Administration. Visit www.gobnmc-old.local to learn more to become a member of GO BNMC today. To sign-up to gain access to the storage shelter, contact us by e-mail at gobnmc@bnmc-old.local or by phone at 716.566.2316. Access will be given to cyclists on a first-come, first-serve basis.

GO BNMC Rewards Your Smart Commuting Choices

September 21, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Environment, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Outreach, Parking, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

GO BNMC offers employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus incentives for choosing to save money, improve their health, and help the environment by utilizing alternative transportation options. Now BNMC employees can get rewarded for choosing greener and healthier ways to commute to and from work.
A plethora of incentives including the monthly Smart Commuting Raffle, subsidized Metro Bus and Rail monthly and weekly passes, free GO Bike Buffalo memberships, discounted and free trial Buffalo CarShare memberships, and more are available. Sign up today at www.gobnmc-old.local.

Did you know that other than walking, biking is the greenest way to get around? There are bike racks throughout the Medical Campus. Coming soon will be the walk-in secure bike stations that can be accessed by GO BNMC members, allowing bikes to be stored in a dry location. Bike shelters that will be added to the University and LaSalle Stations in the near future, and a walk-in storage facilities will be added on the BNMC for those who want to store their bike out of the elements.

Signing up to become a GO BNMC member is quick and easy. Employees simply create a profile, begin logging commutes and voilà! Once the profile is created, members can enter into the monthly raffles.

Safe Routes to School Program Launches at PS 74

August 27, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, News, Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

GO Bike Buffalo has launched the Buffalo Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) at Hamlin Park School 74 . A part of a national program promoting the benefits of walking and biking to school for students, SRTS seeks to help students become more physically active. SRTS also aims to reduce vehicle congestion around schools, resulting in safer access and lower exhaust emissions.
Through a technology class at Hamilton Park, the Recycle-A-Bicycle (RAB) program will be incorporated into the curriculum. At Hamlin Park, students will learn how to build bicycles using salvaged parts and they will be taught how to make environmentally sound transportation choices which will undoubtedly have an impact on the health of the communities they live in. As they grow in their understanding of the importance of being physically active, the SRTS program will also teach them how to ride bicycles safely.

With the support of City Hall representative, Council Member Demone Smith, the program’s success will most likely be included into additional Buffalo Public Schools as a useful educational program. Smith stated that “Instituting healthy lifestyles and behaviors early in life are essential to developing healthy young people and communities. We will continue to work with GO Bike Buffalo to make improvements in the District as well as among our youngest residents.”

Media Alert: BNMC Hosts Summer Block Party for Employees (8-20-12)

August 20, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Environment, Event, Healthy Communities, Member Institution(s), Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, August 20, 2012

Contact

Kari Root Bonaro, BNMC

716.218.7157, kbonaro@bnmc-old.local

MEDIA ALERT

BNMC Hosts Summer Block Party for Employees

Hundreds of Employees Expected to Attend the “GO BNMC” Transportation-Themed Event Focusing on Smarter, Greener, Healthier Ways to Get Around

WHAT: GO BNMC Summer Block Party, a free event for employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC)

WHEN: Thursday, August 23^rd from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Rain or shine –party will be under a tent)

WHERE: 941 Washington Street Lot (behind the Allen/Medical Campus NFTA Station)

This free event will highlight innovative and economical ways in which GO BNMC, a new commuting and rewards initiative, will promote healthy lifestyles and active living for employees on the Medical Campus.

Features educational videos and materials, demonstrations, and hands-on activities, including:

– Bicycle obstacle course sponsored by GO Bike

– Pedi-cab pick-ups (at Kaminski Park & the corner of high & Ellicott)

– Buffalo CarShare and BikeShare, including a sneak peak at the new bikes

– Segway tours

– Test drive an electric vehicle

– Public safety information

– The Fender Blender from the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo

– Lunch from Whole Hog Food Truck

This event is sponsored by NYSERDA and the NYSDOT.

ABOUT THE BNMC

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is dedicated to the cultivation of a world-class medical campus for clinical care, research, education, and entrepreneurship on 120 acres in downtown Buffalo. It is home to the region’s top clinical, research, and medical education institutions, including: the University at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Olmsted Center for Sight, Kaleida Health, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, Buffalo Medical Group, Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center, Unyts, and the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care. There are over 40 public and private companies on the BNMC. More than 12,000 people come to work at the Medical Campus every day, and BNMC institutions see over one million patients and visitors annually. The Campus has an annual economic impact of $1.5 billion on the region. The Medical Campus consists of more than 6 million square feet of research, clinical, and support space. bnmc-old.local

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BNMC Summer Block Party 2012

July 31, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Event, Healthy Communities, Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

Hundreds of employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) are expected to attend this year’s BNMC Summer Block Party, a BNMC Fit spinoff themed GO BNMC: Smarter, Greener, Healthier Ways to get Around.
The event’s theme will focus on active living and alternative transportation this year to promote healthy and sustainable options that are best for individuals and the environment. The event aligns with the launching of the new BNMC transportation campaign called GO BNMC.

From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Thursday, August 23 at the 941 Washington Street Lot, GO BNMC: Smarter, Greener, Healthier Ways to get Around will motivate, inform, and empower employees throughout the Medical Campus to enhance their quality of life by making practical commuting choices.

GO BNMC aims to create an innovative and sustainable transportation system for Medical Campus employees. The initiative is a part of the GO Buffalo campaign, a greater project exploring and promoting better ways for Buffalonians to get around, in addition to creating safe streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. Through GO BNMC, employees are offered a menu of options to choose from to determine how they will get to and from work. This initiative will help expose employees on the campus to commuting alternatives available such as walking, bicycling, Metro Bus and Rail, carpooling and vanpooling.

The event will feature displays and demonstrations related to the GO BNMC campaign, including bike and pedestrian safety and education, and car-sharing demos. The new Social Bicycles called SoBi will also be unveiled and employees will be able to test drive electric vehicles. There will be transportation related raffles and giveaways, including raffles for free monthly passes.

Organizations attending the event include: GO Buffalo, NYSERDA, NYSDOT, NFTA, Buffalo CarShare, GO Bike Buffalo, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo with the Fender Blender, R&R Pedicabs, and more. R&R Pedicabs will be giving employees free rides from Kaminski Park and a stop on the corner of High and Ellicott Streets. Information tables and booths will be set-up for employees to view the services available.

GO BNMC offers employees smarter, greener, and healthier options to get around and incentivizes these options through its member rewards program.

To become a member of GO BNMC and get rewarded for smart commuting choices, click here to create a profile.

The popular campus event, BNMC Fit, will adopt an active living and alternative transportation theme this year to promote healthy and sustainable options that are best for individuals and the environment.

Support for Bike Lanes Sought to Increase Safety for Riders

July 12, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Environment, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Outreach, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

GO Bike Buffalo is helping to create a city where people of all ages can safely bike to work.
Through a push to create awareness of the need to establish safe streets for all users upon roadways, GO Bike is looking to increase safety on Buffalo’s streets through the Bicycle Lane Request Form. Unfortunately, most people choose not to ride their bicycles because they do not feel safe doing so. The initiative is a part of the Complete Streets campaign to promote health, safety, community, environmental sustainability, and quality of life for all, in every season.

GO Bike seeks to have parents in the City of Buffalo feel comfortable about allowing their children to bike to school and ensure fellow citizens have realistic alternatives to automobile transportation. By replacing drive-alone trips with alternative methods such as biking, individuals will not only improve their health, but the health of the environment and the health of the greater community will be improved as well.

Working with the City of Buffalo, Go Bike is looking to build safe and well-designed bicycle facilities throughout Buffalo. Join GO Bike by signing the Bicycle Lane Request Form in order for the demand and need for bike lane locations to be made known.

The goal is to reach 1,000 signatures by the end of July! For more information on how to increase safety on the streets for cyclists, visit the GO Bike Buffalo website, a GO Buffalo partner helping to increase alternative transportation options in Buffalo.

Help create a more bike-friendly city today!

Buffalo CarShare Opens Up Transportation Options

July 3, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Community, Parking, TransportationLeave a Comment

Buffalo CarShare is making it easier to have access to reliable and convenient transportation without having to own a car. CarShare members have the option to choose from vehicles that best suit their needs and use them on an hourly basis. Whether at work or at home, if there is a CarShare hub nearby, members can easily reserve a car and use it to run errands.
For affordable monthly or yearly dues, members can use a CarShare vehicle located at 1 of the 10 hubs throughout the city. Members near the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) can find 2 vehicles to choose from in the Washington Street parking lot near the BNMC/National Grid Model Energy Home. Hub locations are near many communities, colleges, and business districts. The options for memberships vary and can be extended to families and businesses, and there are even discounts for non-profit organizations. Flagged with the noticeable green leaf attached to a key ring logo, many of the cars can also be easily identified by the blue-colored paint.

It is very easy to reserve a CarShare vehicle which can be done 1 of 3 ways. Members can go to the Buffalo CarShare office located at 14 Allen Street, call 716.898.0850, or go online to reserve a vehicle. Once it is reserved, members go to a hub, use their personalized key fob to gain access to the car in order to drive it. The car has technology within it that tracks the time it is taken out, the time it is brought back, and the number of miles traveled. When done, all members have to do is park it back at the same hub they drove it from.

An opportunity to bring another transportation option that is less strenuous on the wallet and the environment to the Medical Campus and other locations has been created through grant funds received by Buffalo CarShare. In August, BikeShare will be introduced through a beta program which will be tested by 200 bike riders. In partnership with Go Bike Buffalo, CarShare will launch bike-sharing by offering the use of 75 new social bicycles, all equipped with GPS systems and locks operated by access codes.

The Department of Transportation and NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) granted funds a total of $284,000 in to Buffalo CarShare, BNMC, and GO Bike Buffalo.

“One thing that CarShare does and what BikeShare will do for the Medical Campus is to provide employees who take transit, carpool or use alternative modes to get to and from work easier,” said William Smith, who is working hard to enhance access to the BNMC. “Both help to create added-mobility options for things such as wp-contentointments, errands, meetings and lunches once employees are already at work.”

As a collective, Buffalo CarShare, the BNMC, Go Bike Buffalo, and other partners form GO Buffalo, an initiative to enhance and promote the transportation options in Buffalo. CarShare received $143, 000 to create the bike-share program. The BNMC is using the awarded $121,000 to create the Transportation Toolkit through GO BNMC and to incentivize use of transportation alternatives, and GO Bike Buffalo is using the $20,000 awarded to help create Complete Streets throughout the City of Buffalo.

To see the cost for your vehicle each day, month, and year, use the Car Cost Calculator to determine how much money you could be saving if you were to join Buffalo CarShare. For more information about the BikeShare program, contact Buffalo CarShare at info@buffalocarshare.org.

Canvassing in the BNMC Surrounding Neighborhoods

June 4, 2012 by BNMCin Allentown, Community, Fruit Belt, Healthy Communities, Homepage, TransportationLeave a Comment

Canvassing is taking place in the Allentown, Fruit Belt, Linwood and downtown Buffalo neighborhoods because of each community’s proximity to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The canvassing will conclude October 2012. Go Buffalo-a partnership between the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Buffalo CarShare, and GO Bike Buffalo- is looking to learn how residents are getting around.
Five canvassers have been recruited to help spread the word about how residents can use alternative modes of transportation that are environmentally friendly and healthy. The different transportation options include biking, walking, public transit and car sharing.

In addition to sharing more sustainable ways to commute, the canvassers will share information about how local residents can find out about job openings and job training opportunities for future positions on the campus.

GO Buffalo will have a table at the Allen West Festival June 9-10, the Juneteenth Festival June 16-17, and the Fruit Belt Coalition’s National Night Out August 7.

For more information or if you would like to become a GO Buffalo Champion (a leader in sustainable transportation) please call Holly Hutchinson, Street Team Leader, at 716.566.2314.

Check out testimonials from people who cycle, use Buffalo CarShare, or walk to various destinations.

Buffalo Green Code Open House Meetings

May 31, 2012 by BNMCin Community, Construction, Environment, Event, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Transportation, WellnessLeave a Comment

Buffalo Green Code open house meetings for the community will take place June 4 until June 9. Through the City of Buffalo’s new zoning ordinance, a land use plan that was created last year will be improved upon as specific and detailed laws will govern development that takes place throughout the city.
The open house meetings will offer community members the opportunity to learn more about how the zoning ordinance will work and benefit their neighborhoods. There will also be Youth and Family Sessions. The BNMC and Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities (HKHC) partners have organized and will lead the family sessions at the meetings. Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Buffalo will help kids and parents provide input into the process and fully understand the zoning initiative.

HKHC Blog.

Visit the Buffalo G reen Code website for more information.

Community	Date	Time	Location	Address
West	Mon, 6/4	6-8:30 pm	Lafayette HS	370 Lafayette Ave.
Northwest	Tue, 6/5	6-8:30 pm	Riverside HS	51 Ontario St
South	Tue, 6/5	6-8:30 pm	South Park HS	150 Southside Pkwy.
Ellicott	Wed, 6/6	6-8:30 pm	Montessori School #32	342 Clinton St.
Northeast	Wed, 6/6	6-8:30 pm	Bennett HS	2885 Main St.
North	Thurs, 6/7	6-8:30 pm	North Park Academy	780 Parkside Ave.
Central Morning	Fri, 6/8	8-10:30 am	Central Library	1 Lafayette Square
Central Afternoon	Fri, 6/8	Noon-2:30pm	Central Library	1 Lafayette Square
E. Delavan-Masten	Sat, 6/9	9-11:30am	East HS	820 Northampton St.
East	Sat, 6/9	1-3:30pm	Matt Urban Center	1081 Broadway Pkwy.

A Healthier Way to Travel

May 3, 2012 by BNMCin Biking, Community, News, TransportationLeave a Comment

National Bike Month May 2012

In an effort to promote and support commuting by bicycles, the League of American Bicyclists brings this month-long biking initiative to communities in states across the country with the support of SealLine as a sponsor. Just like with any group of people who share common interests, cyclists can take this nationally recognized month to build more of a community by organizing events that encourage biking to work and other destinations. Coming off of the heels of the Complete Streets Summit, cyclists can join together to emphasize the importance of streets that are safe for bike travel.

Bike to Work Week is May 14 – May 18. Bike to Work Day is that Friday, May 18.

GO Bike Buffalo and other sponsors will offer tune-ups for riders prior to the week of biking to work as well as Bicycle Breakfasts to greet riders on their way to work and a Bike Away from Work Hwp-contenty Hour amongst other events to support the riders below:

Friday, May 11 – Tune-up Night at GO Bike Community Workshop

From 7 – 10 p.m. GO Bike Buffalo staff will be assisting bicyclists, checking bikes and providing light tune-ups for riders getting ready for Bike to Work Week at the GO Bike Community Workshop, located at 98 Colvin Avenue (at the corner of Linden). The shop—which is normally only open to GO Bike members—will be open to the public for this event.

Saturday, May 12 – Commuter Workshop

From 1 – 4 p.m. GO Bike Buffalo staff will be hosting a workshop introducing people to commuting by bicycle. Topics include equipment and maintenance, cycling law and cyclists’ rights, wardrobe choices and roadside repair. In addition, workshop attendees will receive a commuter tool kit. This kit contains commuting essentials including but not limited to a helmet, patch kit, light set, adjustable wrench and bell.

For less than the cost of a tank of gas, our knowledgeable staff will put you on the path towards occupying your proper place in the street. Contact our shop manager-stacy@greenoptionsbuffalo.org.

Bicycle Breakfasts

Local businesses are helping motivate bicyclists to bike to work by hosting Bicycle Breakfasts at the start and end of Bike to Work Week. Come enjoy refreshments while you meet and greet fellow bicyclists on your way to work.

Monday, May 14

From 8 – 10 a.m. Sweetness 7 Café is providing a free cup of coffee and discount breakfast specials at both of their locations— Grant Street & Lafayette Avenue on the West Side and Parkside Avenue & Russell Street across from the Buffalo Zoo.

Friday, May 18

From 7 – 10 a.m. Café Taza will provide a free cup of coffee to bicycle riders with a special treat for early-birds provided by Five Points Bakery.

Friday, May 18

From 8:30 – 10 a.m. Employees on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus who bike to work are encouraged to come by the lobby of the Innovation Center to enjoy bagels, coffee and fruit, meet some of the GO Bike Buffalo staff and learn more about what they do.

Don’t forget to inquire about Bicycle Benefits discounts for bicyclists at all three locations!

Bike Away from Work Hwp-contenty Hour

Finish off the excitement of Bike to Work Week at Cantina Loco on the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Allen Street from 5 – 8 p.m. Bike valet will be provided and all bicyclists receive discounts on food and drinks.

GO Bike Launch Party

The organization has grown and changed yet again, so come celebrate the launch of our newest incarnation—GO Bike Buffalo. $20 gets you a discounted membership and admission to this exciting event with live music, DJs, bike fun and $1 drafts of Rusty Chain beer all night. Current members of Green Options Buffalo/GO Bike get in for FREE! This event takes place at the Essex Street Art Complex (Big Orbit Art Gallery) starting at 7 p.m.

Join GO Bike Buffalo!

GO Bike memberships support efforts to assist employees and clients who bicycle—however often they ride. This includes educational programs, community bicycle workshop, policies to promote bicycling and the addition of bike lanes and bike parking throughout the city. You will be helping to make Buffalo a more bicycle-friendly community.

GO Bike Buffalo works to create healthy, environmentally sustainable, community-friendly transportation in the greater Buffalo region. Through advocacy, infrastructure improvements and community programs, GO Bike strives to enhance Buffalo’s quality of life by making positive impacts in our environment, economy, community and personal health.

As the BNMC looks to create models for healthy communities on the Medical Campus and throughout the city and region, through alternative transportation initiatives the BNMC will continue to offer more ways to commute to work in healthier and more sustainable ways.

GO Bike Buffalo

March 25, 2012 by BNMCin Community, Healthy Communities, Innovation Center, TransportationLeave a Comment

GO Bike Buffalo strives to create healthy, environmentally sustainable, community friendly transportation options in the City of Buffalo. Through an array of advocacy efforts and various community programs, GO Bike Buffalo is working to make Buffalo a bicycle friendly city.
GO Bike Buffalo programs include:

* Community Workshop – a place where volunteers and members can go and learn to repair and maintain their bicycles.

* Recycle-A-Bicycle – in Buffalo public schools 18, 27 and 77 and others, students have learned about bicycle repair and maintenance, as well as safety, health and the environment, while building their own bicycles from refurbished parts.

* Bicycle Benefits Program – a program designed to reward individuals and businesses for their commitment to cleaner air, personal health, and the use of pedaling energy in order to create a more sustainable community.

* Safe Routes to School – a program supported by parents, schools, community leaders and local, state, and federal governments to improve the health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school.

And much more.

Website: www.gobikebuffalo.org