The 2018 greenhouse gas inventory for Jefferson County shows that transportation is the greatest single contributor of CO2 emissions (66% of the total). Only on-road transportation was included. Over 90% of the miles driven were in light gas vehicles. 0.3% of miles driven were in electric vehicles. Transportation is the only sector with increased emissions since 2005. Transportation emissions increased by 13% since 2005.

You can save money and carbon by driving less, and the links below can help you do so!

Google Maps helps you use public transit in Jefferson County and beyond. Just type in where you are going from/to, and when, and then click on the train icon.

Public Transportation Toolkit – trip maps, schedules, trip planning and project updates are available on their website. Their site also includes transit connections for Seattle and transit agencies in Olympic Peninsula counties, plus Amtrak and ferries.

Ride Sharing Toolkit – Online tools for ride sharing and vanpools, for commuting, travel, and events.

Port Townsend – Seattle – SeaTac Airport. There are 2 popular ways to get to Seatac from Port Townsend:

• Go by Transit using Google Maps.
• Take the Dungeness Line operated by Greyhound.

Touring in Jefferson County: You can get to Port Townsend without a car. You don’t need a car once you get here, either. We have buses, ferries, and taxi cabs, all regularly servicing the downtown, plus walking tours, rentals (bicycles, scooters, cars) and lots of maps. For a walking map, click Port Townsend Walking Map (also available as an iPhone/iPad app).

Walking Resources: Port Townsend is one of the most walkable small cities around with miles of public walking trails through neighborhoods, parks, and nature preserves. Get maps for walking tours, a walking times map, and other resources.

Bicycling Resources: Port Townsend and Jefferson County are very accessible by bicycle with miles of dedicated bicycle lanes on streets as well as off-street trails. Get maps for bicycle touring, infromation on rentals, purchases, repairs, etc.

Fuel-Efficient Vehicles: Electric bicycles, electric scooters, and electric cars are all excellent ways to get around the community with far less cost and CO2 emissions. 

The Green Travel Ranking: Click on the link  to compare the carbon footprint of various modes of transportation. Note that plane travel is one of the worst. If you must travel by plane, consider purchasing carbon offsets from a reputable company. Here is an article from MIT’s Climate Portal on the most cost effective way to buy carbon offsets.