This fall, the Baltimore region will celebrate the 23rd Annual Bike to Work Day on Friday, September 25, 2020. As with all large gatherings, the event is contingent upon authorization and appropriate guidance from government and public health officials.

The event, which was previously scheduled for May 15th, was postponed in light of COVID-19 restrictions. The safety of participants and the public at large remains the number one priority of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council and its partners. Postponing allows organizers time to plan for what we hope will be a healthier and safer event this fall.

Bike to Work Day is a national campaign that celebrates bicycling as a healthy commuting option, while promoting public awareness of its safety and environmental benefits. Bike to Work Day helps raise awareness of the rules of the road for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, and highlights the need to improve bicycle facilities to improve safety.

In the Baltimore region, Bike to Work Day draws more than 1800 attendees to 45 pit stop locations throughout six counties. Participating jurisdictions include Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard Counties. Pit stops feature group convoy rides, bicycle tune-ups, riding challenges, free food and drinks, free custom T-shirts, and other prizes.

For more information on Bike to Work Day 2020, and to stay up to date with the latest information on registration dates and pit stop locations, visit biketoworkmd.com.

We welcome your participation and look forward to seeing you all on the road this coming September!

The Baltimore Regional Cooperative Purchasing Committee (BRCPC) coordinated with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) to participate in the largest cooperative purchase of N95 masks in the Mid-Atlantic region. N95 masks are those recommended for use by medical and emergency professionals to prevent the transmission of infectious disease. These masks have come into increasingly high demand during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Led by MWCOG, this bulk purchase of 7.1 million masks covers the requirements for 30 governmental entities across Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

During a time when so much of the world is facing COVID-19 and the increasing measures to protect themselves, demand for personal protection equipment (PPE) has risen well above available supply. The aggregate volume of this order helped MWCOG and BRCPC to secure these essential resources despite competition from across the country and the globe.

In addition to this important effort, purchasers, governments, private industry and individuals have taken novel approaches to secure the resources our region needs. Here are a few clever and inventive local examples:

• Distilleries have converted their operations to make hand sanitizer until the normal manufacturers of hand sanitizer could catch up with demand
• Textile companies have made gowns and masks for medical personnel at the request of local leaders
• Supplies of gowns and masks were found through coordination with promotional supply companies
• Local EMS providers have spared gloves, masks and wipes
• Local firms have donated materials, including gloves from tattoo shops and masks from gas equipment suppliers
• Local firms have donated warehousing to store bulk shipments of PPE supplies
• Purchasers have worked with promotional supply houses to vet foreign offers for N95 masks to ensure their legitimacy
• Cooperative purchasing is being used to aggregate the volume of orders to ensure we get the attention of manufacturers and competitive pricing
• Individuals are sewing masks at home to fill gaps for their communities

Regional procurement professionals and their partners in the manufacturing and supply sector have shined in this challenging time. We are proud to share that their cooperation is helping to save lives.