May is National Bike Month, an annual celebration to increase awareness and participation in bicycling as a healthy, economic, and sustainable transportation option. The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) and its Rideshare Program are assisting Harrisonburg’s Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) with events and activities on Bike to Work Day, May 19th. Harrisonburg’s event will be at Court Square in downtown Harrisonburg from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. Both events are free!
Visit Bike the Valley and Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition for updates on activities being held throughout May in addition to Bike to Work Day, including: Confident City Cycling Class,
Glowstick Ride on the Bluestone Trail, and the annual Bike, Run, Sweat and Beers ride.
Sponsored by The League of American Bicyclists, National Bike Month has been celebrated since 1956. It is an opportunity for communities and groups to spotlight transportation options like cycling and walking, reiterate their many benefits, and encourage people to consider alternative modes of transport.
Bike/Walk to Work Day highlights ways walking and biking to work can add physical activity to the day, save money and wear and tear on cars, and make participants feel more connected to their communities. With the return of spring and warm weather, May is the perfect time of year to try a walking or biking commute for the first time, or get back into a warm weather commuting habit. Local organizers hope that the events will raise awareness and inspire more people to embrace walking and biking as viable transportation alternatives.
For more information on Staunton and Harrisonburg’s Bike/Walk to Work Day events and the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission’s regional bicycle and pedestrian program, contact Ann Cundy ann@cspdc.org.