Senator Dilan Urges Commuters to Cycle to Work During Annual Bike to Work Week

[9]National Bike to Work Week kicked off Monday in New York, and Senator Martin Malavé Dilan (D-Brooklyn) is encouraging commuters across the state to ride their bicycles to work Friday, May 21.

“A surprising number of our state’s commuters live very close to their place of work, but get there in a car or bus. I hope National Bike to Work Week goes a long way to encourage more people to make a change and take up a greener commute,” said Senator Dilan, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, more than half the U.S. population lives within five miles of the workplace – an ideal distance for commuting via bike. But lack of awareness and educational outreach prevents many people from cycling to work.

As part of National Bike to Work Week there will be a series of events [10] from Albany to New York City to Huntington celebrating biking to work and reminding New Yorkers that it can help reduce traffic and carbon emissions.

In honor of National Bike to Work Day on May 21, New York City government officials and transportation advocates will host events [11] at several “pit stops” in all five boroughs, including a free breakfast in Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Transportation Alternatives, which advocates on behalf of cyclists in New York City, estimates that every day 236,000 New Yorkers ride a bicycle, more than double the number who rode just five years ago.

“If we continue to spread the word at events like these, more people will bike to work – which is good not only for our workforce, but our environment and our streets,” said Senator Dilan.

Cyclists are reminded to follow safety precautions [12] when riding to work. Be sure to obey traffic rules, ride with the flow of traffic, wear a helmet and maintain your bicycle with the proper safety equipment, including front and rear reflectors.

For more information about Bike to Work Week and Day, please contact Senator Dilan’s Albany office at (518) 455-2177. For more about individual events, contact the event’s sponsor, whose information can be found at bikeleague.org [13].