Clean Air Council and SEPTA Partner for National Bike to Work Day 2016
May 16, 2016
Clean Air Council
Reposted with permission from http://cleanair.org/biketoworkday2016
Clean Air Council and SEPTA are coming together to celebrate bike commuters, experienced and beginner, on Friday, May 20, for National Bike to Work Day. Cycle by their Bike to Work Day Support Station between 7:30 am and 9:30 am, located on the southeast corner of Broad St. and Oregon Ave. for free coffee, doughnuts, reusable water bottles, SEPTA sunglasses, drawstring bags, and even tire air for those who need an extra pump. Clean Air Council and SEPTA will be on site to offer safety tips and trip planning help. Ever wonder how to load a bike onto a SEPTA bus? Cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users will be able to try out a SEPTA bus bike rack.
You don’t have to be an experienced bike commuter to join in on Bike to Work Day. Clean Air Council will be leading bike commute group rides for Navy Yard employees from the Bike to Work Day Support Station on Broad St. and Oregon Ave. to the Navy Yard every half an hour starting at 7:30 am and ending at 9:30 am. Any Navy Yard commuters who are interested in joining a bike commute group ride to work should reserve their spot with this google form.
“Commuting by bike and public transportation can have a dramatic impact on the chronic air pollution problem we have here in Philadelphia.” says Joseph Otis Minott, Esq., Executive Director of the Clean Air Council. In the United States, 40% of all trips made are less than two miles, making bicycling a feasible, fun, healthy and emission-free way to get to and from work. Commuters can travel even farther by combining cycling with public transit. Biking to or from a transit stop can also shorten the last mile to your home or office. "SEPTA is a bike-friendly transit system. We welcome bikes on our buses, trains and trolleys and our operators are trained to use their eyes and mirrors to avoid hazards approaching from the sides of the vehicles, like cyclists," said SEPTA Assistant General Manager of System Safety, Scott Sauer.
With on-street bike lanes crisscrossing the city and the Circuit Trails’ multi-use trail network connecting towns across the Delaware Valley, the Philadelphia region has over 300 miles of bike trails. Additionally, 2.3% of Philadelphia commuters choose to get to work by bike, which is more people commuting by bicycle, per capita, than any of the other ten biggest cities in the United States. Want to get in on the fun? Bike to Work Day is great a day to start. Here are some tips for bike commuting:
9 Tips for First Time Bike Commuters
1. Check your bike – Make sure the chain is clean, there is air in the tires, the brakes are working properly, and there is a front white light and rear red reflector
2. Plan your route – GoPhillyGo.org is a website that was developed specifically for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users to plan multimodal trips in the Philadelphia region
3. Practice your route
4. Plan ahead – If your work has a business professional dress code, bring your work clothes in advance or pack a backpack
5. Bring a lock in case your office doesn’t have bike storage space
6. Rear red light – Not required, but highly encouraged for riding at night because it will help increase your visibility
7. Combining transit – If your trip requires combining cycling with public transit, check out GoPhillyGo’s tips and tricks on multimodal transportation
8. Check the forecast - and plan accordingly
9. Have fun!
9 Safety Tips for Cycling
1. Wear a helmet
2. Look out for doors opening from parked cars
3. Never ride on the sidewalk
4. Be predictable
5. Be aware of direction of glare
6. Tuck and restrain your pant legs
7. Be aware of rules and rights as a cyclist
8. Use hand signals
9. Be Visible
If you have any questions, please contact Erika Reinhard, Sustainable Transportation Outreach Coordinator, by calling 215-567-4004 ext. 111 or emailing ereinhard@cleanair.org.
