BALTIMORE, MD (Tuesday, May 31, 2022) – The 25th annual Bike to Work festivities in the Baltimore region concluded with almost 1800 registered participants, up from about 1200 in 2021, as more riders joined in-person events from Annapolis to Bel Air to Columbia to Westminster. About 650 registrants were taking part for the first time, which the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) celebrated as the organization seeks to expand the impact of Bike to Work.
“We are proud to coordinate this important initiative for the region,” said BMC Executive Director Mike Kelly. “For 25 years, we have worked with our local leaders and jurisdictions to promote biking as a healthy commuting option and to raise awareness for the safety of our fellow riders.”
Bike to Work Week is a campaign that celebrates bicycling as a healthy commuting option while promoting public awareness of its safety and environmental benefits. Bike to Work Week helps raise awareness of the rules of the road for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, and also highlights the need to improve bicycle facilities to improve safety.
National Bike to Work Day fell on Friday, May 20, but the expanded Bike to Work Week which ran May 16-22 allowed for participants to engage in more events, including a ‘Lake to Lake’ ride from Druid Hill Lake to Lake Montebello and a Mayor's Bicycle Advisory Commission (MBAC) ‘Safety Ride’ at Eager Park.
Plus, nine official Pit Stops throughout the week reached cyclists across the region with snacks and drinks, bike check-ups, ways to get involved with transportation planning, and of course, free t-shirts and other Bike to Work swag (shirts were available all week at 25 pickup locations).
Harford County Executive and BMC Board Chair Barry Glassman visited a Pit Stop in Bel Air, hosted by Bike to Work Week 2022 sponsors Harford Transit LINK and the Harford County Public Library. Glassman acknowledged the work of Harford County Rideshare Coordinator Alan Doran and his team in incorporating cycling into the region’s transportation infrastructure.
“We’re excited to be back in-person and celebrating 25 years of Bike to Work Week,” Glassman said. “It’s a reminder that biking is a healthy way to get around – good for you and good for the environment.”
Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott commemorated National Bike to Work Day by cycling to City Hall, with Pit Stops in Waverly and at the Enoch Pratt Free Library Central Branch. He was joined by Baltimore City Director of Transportation Steve Sharkey and other Department of Transportation officials.
“I encourage residents to consider biking as a viable option for commuting to work and wherever else you need to go,” Mayor Scott said at a press conference outside City Hall following the bike ride. “It’s a good way to participate in a healthy lifestyle and build community with folks in your neighborhood, in your family and across the city.”
Mayor Scott committed to making the city’s transportation infrastructure safer and more accessible, a sentiment echoed by other speakers, including Director Sharkey and MBAC Chair Jon Laria.
For Lanise Stevenson, who partnered with the organization Black People Ride Bikes to organize a weekly ‘Lake to Lake’ ride as a way to bring people together during the pandemic, advocating for safe and accessible cycling in the city is the name of the game.
“I wanted to address chronic loneliness for a lot of our residents, as well as accessibility,” Stevenson said, “And to provide an opportunity for people who look like us to be able to come together in an environment that made them feel welcomed, valued and supported.”
She worked with the city to teach folks how to ride, how to use safety equipment and how to stay safe on the road. She also advocated for improved bike lanes and other measures. Her efforts paid off — Stevenson celebrated growing the Lake to Lake group from fewer than 50 to over 200 riders on average, with families and friends coming together from all over to join in.
BMC Executive Director Mike Kelly thanked the sponsors, organizers and participants for a wonderful Bike to Work Week 2022.
“We are thrilled with this strong return to the expanded Bike to Work Week as we continue to emerge from the pandemic,” Kelly said. “Here’s to another 25 years of progress toward safer and more accessible cycling in the Baltimore region.”
Central Maryland’s next Bike to Work Week is May 15-21, 2023.
Bike to Work Week is supported by donations from generous sponsors: Anne Arundel County Commuter Crew, Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT), Baltimore and Carroll County Rideshare, Clean Air Partners (CAP), Columbia Association (CA), Downtown Columbia Partnership (DTC), Go Howard, Harford County Public Library (HCPL), Harford Transit LINK, Joe’s Bike Shop, Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA), Trek Bicycle Corporation, and media sponsor WBAL-TV.
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Captions (clockwise from top left): 1 - Chair of the Anne Arundel County Bicycle Advisory Commission Jon Korin, Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley, Anne Arundel County Office of Transportation Director Sam Snead and Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, Jr. / 2 - Baltimore City Department of Transportation staff joined a no-drop ride from Druid Hill Lake to Lake Montebello. / 3 - Towson was among the many cities in the region to host Pit Stops for commuters on two wheels for National Bike to Work Day. / 4 - Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott hosted a press conference at City Hall after biking to work on National Bike to Work Day. For more photos, explore the online Bike to Work Week 2022 gallery.
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Notice
The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable laws. Appropriate services can be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities or those in need of language assistance who submit a request at least seven days prior to a meeting. Call 410- 732-0500. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-735-2258 to initiate a TTY call through Maryland Relay.
Si se necesita información de Título VI en español, llame al 410-732-0500.
The Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) works collaboratively with the chief elected officials in the region to create initiatives to improve the quality of life and economic vitality. BMC, as the Baltimore region’s council of governments, hosts the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB), the federal metropolitan planning organization (MPO), and supports local government by coordinating efforts in a range of policy areas including emergency preparedness, housing, cooperative purchasing, environmental planning and workforce development.
BMC’s Board of Directors includes the executives of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford and Howard counties, the mayor of the City of Baltimore, a member of the Carroll County and Queen Anne’s County boards of commissioners, a member of the Maryland State Senate, a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, and a gubernatorial appointee from the private sector.