Submissions must be received by June 23

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County Transportation is sponsoring a Lafayette
“No Fare Contest” to seek ideas on how to improve transit
ridership in and around Lafayette, Colorado. The top three entries will receive
a share of a $5,000 cash award.

The Boulder County Transportation Department
recently received a $100,000 grant from the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC)
to increase transit ridership in Lafayette and reduce air pollution on high
ground-level ozone days. As part of that grant, and in conjunction with the
RAQC’s Simple Steps. Better Air.
program, the county is looking for innovative ideas from the community on how
to structure a fare subsidy program that will increase bus use by Lafayette
residents and employees. The contest is open to the general public, but Boulder
County employees may not participate. You must be 18 to submit an idea, or have
express written permission from a parent or guardian.

All
submissions must be received by 3 p.m. on Friday, June 23 to be included in the
contest. More information - including all rules, regulations, and how to submit
- is available on the contest website.

The top three ideas will be chosen by selection
panel composed of members from the City of Lafayette, Boulder County, the RAQC,
and RTD. Cash awards will be as follows:

• $3,000
  for first place
• $1,500
  for second place
• $500
  for third place

“We are very excited to see what ideas are
submitted,” said Boulder County Commissioner Cindy Domenico. “We have been
encouraging residents to ride the bus for years and providing a multitude of
reasons why it is a good idea. This time, it’s the public’s turn to tell us
what would motivate them to hop on a bus more often. Increased bus ridership
has many benefits to the community, from helping the environment, to reducing
congestion on area roads, so this project is key for Lafayette and for Boulder
County as a whole.”

“In Lafayette, many citizens are concerned about increased congestion on our roads,” added Lafayette Mayor Christine Berg. “The ‘No Fare Contest’ is an innovative way to not only educate and engage residents about using public transit and reducing traffic, but also provides affordable mobility to everyone. Increased ridership also benefits the environment by reducing air pollution and strategically addressing climate change at the local level.”

The selected program(s) will be implemented this
summer, and will likely run from July through September.

For more information,
visit
the contest website, or contact Scott McCarey, Multi-Modal Division
Manager, at smccarey@bouldercounty.org
or 720-564-2665.