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PBOT’s Ride Every Wednesday campaign rewards people who use public transit

A Portland Streetcar on Southwest Harrison during a snow event, December 4, 2022 (Portland Streetcar)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — If you choose to bike, walk, roll or take public transit in Downtown Portland throughout March and April, you could win a special prize from the Portland Bureau of Transportation.

PBOT, in partnership with Here for Portland, has launched the Ride Every Wednesday campaign that rewards residents who choose not to drive their cars during their commute downtown.

Every Wednesday up until April 26, the bureau will host pop-ups where people can drink free coffee, redeem prizes or earn a $50 Kuto credit for using an alternative form of transportation.

According to PBOT, this campaign aims to celebrate the 26 Rose Lane projects that have been completed since 2019. The Rose Lane Project alters transit routes throughout the city, to prioritize buses and streetcars in the areas with heavy traffic.

The bureau says the project has made transit faster for more commuters, which is top-of-mind for many Portlanders now that traffic levels could return to pre-pandemic numbers.

“I’m excited to see more Portlanders choose a commute option that saves them money and reduces our city’s carbon footprint,” Transportation Commissioner Mingus Mapps said in a statement. “As many downtown workers return to in-person work, my hope is that they can experience how convenient and affordable it is to commute by transit, biking, walking or rolling in the central city.”

Additionally, PBOT says transit has become safer for commuters with the Portland Streetcar Rider Ambassador and Trimet Safety Action programs that were launched within the past few years.

The bureau’s next Ride Every Wednesday pop-up will be held on March 8 at Pioneer Courthouse Square from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Text WEDNESDAY to 888-520-0526 for additional information.