Gov. Christine Gregoire has recognized Bellevue with a Commute Smart Community Champion Award for the city’s Connect Downtown program, which aims to reduce the number of solo driving trips to downtown workplaces.

The governor has also named Corkey Christensen as a Commute Smart Champion for her role as the employee transportation coordinator for Lumedx, a downtown Bellevue employer.

Connect Downtown developed as part of the State Growth and Transportation Efficiency Center program, which encourages cities to develop trip reduction programs in areas of concentrated employment. Funding comes from state, federal and local resources.

The program provides services to businesses, employees and residents. Services to employers include workshops, assistance in setting up “telework” programs and consulting to establish or improve commute programs for employees.

Connect Downtown also offers individuals walking maps, personalized commute planning assistance though a storefront at the Bellevue Transit Center, and ride-matching for commuters interested in forming a carpool or vanpool.

The Community Champion award “highlights the significant contributions that local governments and their partners make to improve the livability of their communities.” Numbers suggest that Connect Downtown and the city’s other commute reduction efforts, are having an impact:

Nearly one-third of downtown workers now receive a subsidized or free bus pass through their employers.

As of 2008, the latest year for which statistics are available, 39 percent of commute trips to downtown occurred by a means other than driving alone, compared with 29 percent in a 2005 survey.

More than 100 businesses have taken part in the Connect Downtown Plan since the Bellevue City Council adopted it in 2008. Twenty-four downtown businesses, representing 1,200 workers, have also signed contracts to provide monthly bus passes to their employees.

Another city effort, the Commute Trip Reduction program, tailored to employers with 100 or more workers, includes 62 work sites citywide and 34,000 employees.

Connect Downtown Manager Kate Johnson and other city officials will accept the Commute Smart award during a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion.

For comprehensive information about travel options for workers, employers, students and others, visit the city of Bellevue’s website.