Friday, May 19, is Bike to Work Day and Clean Air Council, Go Philly Go, Philadelphia Navy Yard, PIDC, South Philly Bikes, and Cleaner Commute Philadelphia are coming together to celebrate experienced and beginner bike commuters, as well as to introduce people to bike commuting. In the U.S., 40% of all trips are less than 2 miles, making bicycling a feasible, environmental-friendly, healthy and fun way to get to work.
Navy Yard employees, come by our Bike to Work Day Support Station on Friday, May 19, just inside Broad Street Gate of the Navy Yard, between 7:30 am and 10:00 am. We’ll have free coffee and doughnuts, raffle prizes, expert bike advice, and even tire air for those who need an extra pump. Clean Air Council will have information on commuter benefits and GoPhillyGo 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 the SEPTA bus bike rack.
Throughout the month of May, National Bike Month, Clean Air Council’s Cleaner Commute Philadelphia program will be helping you get ready for your bike commute. So, be sure to follow on Cleaner Commute Philadelphia and Twitter @CleanerCommute, so that you can get started on biking in one of the most popular bike commuting cities in America.
Don’t currently bike commute? Here are some tips:
Get a bike & check it – 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
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
Practice your route
Plan ahead – If your work has a business professional dress code, bring your work clothes in advance or pack a backpack
Know the rules of the road – You can read Philadelphia’s rules and regulations around biking here.
Bring a lock in case your office doesn’t have bike storage space
Rear red light – Not required, but highly encouraged for riding at night because it will help increase your visibility
Combining transit – If your trip requires combining cycling with public transit, check out GoPhillyGo’s tips and tricks on multimodal transportation
Check the forecast – and plan accordingly
Have fun!