Georgia Commute Options, a program managed by the Atlanta Regional Commission, has been named a 2018 national award winner in the Marketing and Outreach category for exceptional work in transportation demand management. The program received this honor, in partnership with Cobb County DOT, from The Association for Commuter Transportation.

Georgia Commute Options and Cobb County DOT's award-winning work promoted commute options in the Cumberland market as it faced new transportation challenges during construction of the Atlanta Braves' stadium, SunTrust Park. Concerns over the potential impact of traffic congestion created a unique opportunity to promote commute options as a solution. 

"Cobb County was investing in numerous roadway, pedestrian, bicycle and transit projects leading up to the first game at the new stadium," said Eric Meyer, Cobb County Planning Division Manager. "We understood that demand management was an equally important approach to address construction delays and game-day traffic."

The team educated area employers, commuters and stakeholders about commute options available, like carpooling, teleworking and transit, through in-person events, presentations, emails, websites, social media and a county-wide "Try Transit" campaign. The team focused heavily on engaging top-tier employers, conducting worksite assessments to better understand the needs and unique challenges of each organization, and providing strategies to increase employee participation.

"We are incredibly proud of our outreach results," said Malika Reed Wilkins, PhD, Managing Director of Georgia Commute Options. "Our efforts reached more than 1,700 commuters who in turn took 30,000 less trips. We are honored to receive this prestigious recognition and excited to continue forward with renewed momentum."

Georgia Commute Options is committed to extending this success into future promotions. The resources created for construction mitigation in this program can be used to positively impact congestion in areas facing similar challenges. The team continues to explore community partnerships where its best-in-class tactics can help reduce congestion and increase use of commute options, like carpooling, vanpooling, transit, walking, biking and teleworking.