RVA Bicycle Commuter Challenge
The Mayor’s Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Commission and the City’s Bicycle Coordinator Jakob Helmboldt are leading the city’s first Bicycle Commuter Challenge to introduce Richmonders to the benefits and pleasures of commuting by bicycle.
Mayor Jones and the Pedestrian, Bicycling, and Trails Commission will celebrate National Bike Month on Friday, May 18, 2012 for the Bike to Work Day rally at Monroe Park. The City’s Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Trails Program has the goal of making Richmond one of the most bicycle and pedestrian-friendly cities in the country.
Participants are encouraged to ride their bicycle to and from work, and report the days commuted at the end of the week for the entire month of May. It still counts if a bicycle is used for part of the commute, such as to join a car pool or ride the bus. Participants can register online starting Monday, April 30, and are able to log their weekly commutes at www.riderichmond.net/bike-month-commuter-challenge. All commutes must be reported on the website by Friday, June 8, and the results will be announced by Friday, June 15.
By participating in the Commuter Challenge, you can win either a Men’s or Women’s Giant Escape:
PHOTO TOP: Phil Riggan
we’re all for biking, but without BIKE LANES this city sucks for cyclists–especially during rush hours. c’mon Mayor Jones, take cycling seriously, and stop being so patronizing. paint lanes for us, and you’ll see a lot more bikers lowering the summer ozone levels on those “red alert days”. till then, it’s just too much of a life risk to ride to work into downtown during morning/evening rush.
I bicycle commute every day from the Museum District to Shockoe, and it’s not bad. I don’t ride Cary or other car-centric roads, but Grove or Hanover through the Fan is idyllic in the morning. Franklin Street through Monroe Ward is fast and not too busy. I guess I’m saying that there are routes through the city, we don’t need to be on the same streets as the cars.
Will the city and Henrico ever get off their butts and finish the cap to cap trail? right now, the most dangerous part along route 5 leaving the city has not even been touched.
Richmond should really create bike friendly, laned corridors for commuters. Like Rollie mentions, certain streets are better for bicycles. Monument, Franklin, Grove, for instance. I think it could be easy to create these routes and connect Church Hill, The Fan, Northside, and Southside commuters.