For the eco-conscious commuter—or those who just like a little time to read the paper—the award-winning Villebois neighborhood in Wilsonville, Oregon is connected to nearby communities and the bustle of downtown Portland, Oregon through the Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail.

Villebois, developed by Costa Pacific Communities, is within walking distance of the Wilsonville WES Station, which has 400 park-and-ride spaces and 48 bike lockers. This easy access fosters a pedestrian- and bike-friendly atmosphere within the transit-oriented community.  

Not to mention, if you purchase a new Wilsonville home for sale in Villebois, you not only avoid rush-hour traffic but you will also feel good knowing you’re reducing your carbon footprint by spending less time on the road. Click here to learn more about what to do with your “WES Time”.

Built on a foundation of sustainability—from its transit-orientation to its green homes— Villebois will change how you live.

To learn more about the transit-oriented Villebois neighborhood, call Costa Pacific today at 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Portland, Oregon-based public transportation organization, TriMet, announced this week that it acquired two previously owned rail diesel cars (RDCs) from the Alaska Railroad for use as spares on the metropolitan area’s Westside Express Service (WES) Commuter Rail.

WES currently boasts three diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains that provide transit service between Beaverton and Wilsonville on the metropolitan area’s west side. According to TriMet, there are no spare vehicles for WES service when a DMU is out of service. With the new, additional trains, TriMet can reduce or eliminate the need for shuttle buses to supplement WES service and help make service for riders as seamless as possible.

The new cars are currently being retrofitted and will be available for service by next summer. According to TriMet, retrofitting includes “installation of cab signal and communications equipment and modifications for mobility device accessibility”. TriMet’s WES maintenance facility is also expanding to accommodate the two trains, which are 85 feet long and stainless steel.

For the eco-conscious commuter—or those who just like a little extra time to read the newspaper—WES is a wonderful transportation option. Residents living in the Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, appreciate the close proximity the transit-oriented neighborhood provides to the area WES station, which is just a short walk or ride from the Village Center.

Villebois is a master-planned community that hosts a variety of housing options – from luxurious new condominiums and rowhomes to beautiful single-family houses. Currently under construction, the Villebois Village Center will feature retail and commercial space as well a thriving Piazza space where residents will flock for the weekly Villebois Sunday Market, live music and fun on the bocce ball courts. Villebois is unlike any other neighborhood in the Willamette Valley.    

To learn more about the Villebois neighborhood or the WES Commuter Rail, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. Or visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Imagine…riding the WES commuter train home from work, on your short walk to your new home, you pass trails and sidewalks shaded by towering trees, there are families in the park, laughing playing together. You stop to pick up some fresh pastries in Piazza Villebois or fresh vegetables at the Villebois Sunday Market.

As you step out onto the cobblestone street, you exhale “Life is good.”

The award-winning Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, has been designed to feel and live like a cozy and vibrant village, with timeless European-inspired architecture and 160 acres of parks and beautiful landscaping.

At the heart of Villebois resides Piazza Villebois, where friends from the entire community come to relax and mingle together on the streets; you will always see a friendly face in Piazza Villebois.

An exceptional, award-winning diverse design and sustainable, social community, Villebois is proud to live a green lifestyle with its innovative rainwater management plan. In Villebois, you are connected to the area’s natural features.

Change how YOU live.

Go to ChangeHowYouLive.com and visit the Villebois Living section, then come and visit in person just west of downtown Wilsonville. For directions visit ChangeHowYouLive.com or call 866.580.2836. You can also email Blog@CostaPacific.com for more details about this exceptional, new community.

NEW CARTS: Allied Waste will begin its co-mingled recycling program in Wilsonville later this fall.

The Wilsonville Spokesman, a community newspaper serving residents living in the award-winning Villebois neighborhood, recently covered the Wilsonville City Council’s approval of a new co-mingled roll cart recycling program in the small community just south of Portland, Oregon. Until now, Wilsonville was the only city in the metropolitan area not using co-mingled recycling carts.

Allied Waste anticipates delivering carts to Wilsonville residents in November with pickup starting the first week in December. For this new service, garbage customers will see only an additional $2.50 per month – $5 per bill – pay for the carts and equipment necessary to get the program started.

This new recycling program fits in well with the Villebois neighborhood’s commitment to sustainable living. From the building materials and the natural amenities on-site to the community designs and transportation options, Costa Pacific Communities – the community’s developer – creates unique places like Villebois that people love to live.

In developing the Villebois community, Costa Pacific launched a rainwater management plan funded in part by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that filters and redistributes rainwater back into the ground, reducing the amount of pollutants released into the area’s streams and rivers.

With eco-friendly building techniques—including redeveloping existing building sites, and recycling up to 90 percent of the buildings that were demolished during the construction process—Costa Pacific lowered its impact on the natural environment. The company was also careful to preserve existing trees and open green space as well as incorporate native plants into the landscaping within the Villebois community, further validating its emphasis on environmental-consciousness.

Additionally, while working through the process of ensuring its homes meet Earth Advantage sustainability guidelines, Costa Pacific learned to build a higher quality home that maximizes energy efficiency and in turn minimizes the company’s impact on the environment. All 2,600 homes that will be built within the Villebois community will meet Earth Advantage standards.

As a transit-oriented development, Costa Pacific’s Villebois community gives residents the opportunity to commute from home via Trimet’s new West Side Express Service serving the Portland metropolitan area’s west side. This too allows Villebois residents to reduce their carbon footprint by spending less time on the road.

For more information about the new recycling program introduced in Wilsonville or the Villebois community’s commitment to sustainability, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com.

The Villebois neighborhood is bike-friendly!

Do you and your coworkers bicycle to work?

Does your office lack bicycle parking?

Do you want to create an incentive to encourage more of your coworkers to use public transportation?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you better listen up! Washington County’s Westside Transportation Alliance (WTA) recently launched an incentive management program called the Westside Commuter Club (WCC), which will provide up to two FREE bicycle racks to companies that sign up to belong to the WCC.

For residents living in and around the Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail line, the opportunity to belong to the WCC couldn’t be better.

Oregon’s award-winning Villebois neighborhood was built in close proximity to Wilsonville’s local WES Station. Offering residents easy access to bike from home to the WES and on to work anywhere in the Portland metropolitan area, the community’s commuter-friendliness is unparalleled.

Here is some helpful information from Trimet when it comes to riding the WES commuter rail:

How to Load Your Bike on WES

Each WES commuter rail car has room for up to six standard-size bikes on board. There are two bike racks, and room for up to four more bikes in the priority seating areas.

Using the Rack

When the WES arrives, just roll your bike inside and place it in one of the vertical racks near the doors. The rack will automatically secure the front wheel in place. There is a strap for the back wheel for added security.

Using the priority seating area

There are two priority seating areas on each WES car for seniors and individuals with disabilities. If both bike racks are full, you may use the straps provided to secure your bike in the priority seating area (unless it is occupied or needed by a senior citizen or a rider with a disability). Please make sure that the straps are securely fastened and that your bike is not blocking the aisle. Two bikes can be stored in each priority seating area.

Federal regulations require bikes to be secured in one of the racks or areas provided. If both racks and priority seating spaces are occupied, you must wait for the next train.

If you ride your bike to or from WES on a regular basis, consider locking your bike at the WES station near Villebois in one of its designated bike locker spaces. This convenience saves area residents time and gas. Not to mention, riding the WES commuter rail gives the environmentally conscious individual peace of mind that he or she is helping offset their carbon footprint.

Learn more about bike parking at WES stations

Rent a bike locker or check availability

If you have questions or comments for TriMet, please email bikes@trimet.org.

If you would like more information about the Villebois Village Center and its commitment to its residents as a transit-oriented development, visit ChangeHowYouLive.com, or call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com.   

Local Clackamas County, Oregon residents are encouraged to help the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) spread the word to Dump the Pump through the organization’s video contest. Winners will receive a YEAR OF FREE TRANSIT and an iPod touch!

Not to mention, the first 25 people to submit a video entry to the contest will receive a $25 VISA cash card simply for entering and telling why they dumped the pump and took public transportation.

Now is your chance to chronicle your experience with the Westside Express Service (WES) serving the west Portland metropolitan area!

The APTA’s contest is open to anyone and everyone – young, old and life-long riders alike! Submitted videos will be judged on creativity, content and overall impact. The grand prize winner will receive FREE rides for a year on the Trimet transit system as well as an iPod touch. APTA will provide each of the winners with their free transit pass.

Now hear this Wilsonville and Clackamas County residents: Get out your video cameras, hop on transit and tell us about it. All videos are due September 18, 2009.

For full contest rules and guidelines, including detailed instructions about how to submit videos through the YouTube.com channel, are available HERE.

For information about the WES commuter rail serving the local Wilsonville, Oregon area, visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com or call 866.580.2836.

According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), people who ride public transportation rather than drive cars can save an average of $9,167 per year!*

The APTA’s monthly Transit Savings Report calculates the average annual and monthly savings for public transit riders and examines how an individual can save money by taking public transportation instead of driving a car.

The survey’s findings reported that transit riders can save an average of $764 per month. This savings amount is based on the cost of the national averages for parking and driving in addition to the national average gas price of $2.628 per gallon for self-serve regular gasoline as of August 7^th. 

According to the APTA, public transportation is a safe and affordable way to travel. Not to mention, public transportation’s immediate, positive impact on reducing an individual’s overall carbon footprint as well as America’s dependence on foreign oil.

Click here to see where Portland stacks up on the list of Top 20 Cities on the Transit Savings Report.

Award-winning master planner and developer, Costa Pacific Communities is known for designing Transit-Oriented Developments (TOD) that are built for people – not cars. At each Costa Pacific community, the winding paths and quiet, tree-lined streets are perfect for walking or riding a bike. The hidden rear garages help minimize the impact of automobiles. And the convenience of mass transit — including light rail stations and bus stops — provides an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to driving. It all comes together to create a safer, healthier, and more connected way of life for all of our residents — and, in short, a very friendly way to live.

Costa Pacific’s latest community, the Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon, offers its residents easy access to the Westside Express Service (WES) light rail. Located just a short walk from the community, the Wilsonville WES Station offers hundreds of Park & Ride spaces and bike locker spaces as well as scheduled arrivals of both the South Metro Area Rapid Transit (SMART) and WES.

For more information about the Villebois Village Center or the community’s close proximity to the WES commuter rail, visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com or call 866.580.2836.

* Based on the August 7, 2009 national average gas price and the national unreserved monthly parking rate.

Calling all local companies! As September approaches so does the Bicycle Transportation Alliance’s (BTA) Bike Commute Challenge: a month-long competition between workplaces throughout Oregon and SW Washington to see who can bike to work more. Registration for this year’s Challenge opens next Monday, August 17th. Visit www.bikecommutechallenge.com and stay tuned for more details about this year’s Challenge.

Residents living in the Villebois neighborhood in Wilsonville, Oregon, will have a leg up (or rather, a pedal up!) on their competition by living in a transit-oriented community. Located just a short walk or bike ride from the area’s Westside Express Service (WES) station, Villebois allows residents easy access to all corners of the Portland metropolitan area via the new commuter rail.

As a transit-oriented community, Villebois works in tandem with the BTA’s mission of creating a healthier environment by reducing carbon emissions and other environmentally adverse effects of driving cars. Not to mention, bicycling to work and beyond is a wonderful way to stay healthy. 

For more information about the bike and pedestrian-friendly aspects of the Villebois Village Center, please visit www.ChangeHowYouLive.com. You may also speak with New Home Specialist Andy Green with Costa Pacific Homes by calling 866.580.2836 or emailing Blog@CostaPacific.com.

As a transit-oriented community, the Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon is unlike any other neighborhood in the Pacific Northwest.

Developed by award-winning master planner and developer, Costa Pacific Communities, the Villebois Village Center was built on a foundation of connectivity – both inside and outside its neighborhood boundaries. Not only are Villebois residents closely connected with their neighbors, but they are also connected to the rest of the Portland metropolitan area by way of Trimet’s West Side Express Service commuter rail serving the local region.

Nicknamed “WES”, the train gives residents living in the neighborhood easy access to rest of the metropolitan area. The Villebois Village Center is just a short walk or ride from the local Wilsonville WES Station. Or Villebois residents can take advantage of the neighborhood shuttle service and be at the WES Station in minutes.

The station itself offers hundreds of Park & Ride spaces and bike locker spaces, saving residents time and gas. Not to mention, riding the WES commuter rail gives the environmentally conscious individual peace of mind that he or she is helping offset their carbon footprint.

From Wilsonville to Tigard to Tualatin to Beaverton, the commute is quick and easy for WES riders. Once aboard the MAX light rail in Beaverton, commuters are only a hop, skip and a latte from downtown Portland!

A community like the Villebois Village Center will change how you live.

Visit Villebois.com or call 866-580-2836 to learn more about the Villebois Village Center and the WES commuter rail.

Developed by Costa Pacific Communities, which specializes in designing transit-oriented master planned communities, the Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon, is located just a short walk or bike ride from the area’s new Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail.

Costa Pacific CEO Rudy Kadlub recently interviewed former Wilsonville Mayor and Clackamas County Commissioner Charlotte Lehan about what the new commuter rail means for the neighborhood and the region in general.

Click here to watch our newest video.

Visit ChangeHowYouLive.com or call 866.580.2836 to learn more about the Villebois Village Center or Costa Pacific Communities’ dedication to transit-oriented development.