The Columbia River Gorge is easily one of the Pacific Northwest’s most beautiful landscapes and one of the area’s top tourist destinations. When the weather is nice, the Gorge registers as a 10 on the scenic scale – but not so high on parking availability scale. In 2015, The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) launched a planning initiative to seek ways to address traffic and parking issues in the Gorge and explore pilot transit opportunities. EnviroIssues was there to help get the word out and engage the public. The evidence was clear—congestion was a real concern, particularly with the 100th anniversary of the Historic Columbia River Highway around the corner, and demand for transit is high.
All aboard the Columbia Gorge Express! EnviroIssues helped ODOT develop a branding and launch strategy to get this pilot shuttle program up and running for the 2016 summer season. The transit service makes travelling to two of the area’s top destinations, Multnomah Falls and Rooster Rock State Park, a cinch. The EnviroIssues team developed the service website, logo and promotional materials and provide social media support. The Gorge Express is a huge hit—riders took more than 4,600 trips on the bus in its first weekend alone!
The Columbia Gorge Express runs through September 25th of 2016 and will operate again in 2017. Read more about the service options here and take the easy way to the Gorge this summer!
