The Baltimore City Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied is proud to announce that a record number of cyclists participated in Baltimore City‟s Bike to Work Day. The event was held this morning, Friday, May 20, 2011 from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. at various commuter stations throughout the city.
This year marks the 14th annual Bike to Work Day event held in Baltimore, which originated back in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists. Now a part of National Bike Month, Bike to Work Day is held annually across the United States and Canada to promote bicycling as a viable option for commuting to work.
“Bike to Work Day is an excellent way to motivate citizens to use alternative modes of transportation,” said Khalil Zaied, Director of Baltimore City‟s Department of Transportation. “The City of Baltimore is making great strides in becoming bicycle friendly, and we are excited that so many cyclists took part in this year‟s event.
To promote Bike to Work Day in the city this year, the Department of Transportation organized a number of „commuter stations‟ at various locations throughout Baltimore in leau of having one large event.
These „pit-stop‟ locations made it more convenient for cycling enthusiasts to participate, as they provided easier access during their morning commute, and contributed to the success of this year‟s event. The seven commuter stations included:
- Baltimore Bicycle Works (Maryland Avenue and Falls Road)
- Carroll Park (Monroe Street and Washington Boulevard)
- Harbor East (Aliceanna and President Streets)
- Joe‟s Bike Shop (Falls Road and Kelly Avenue)
- Johns Hopkins University (Homewood Campus, Mason Hall)
- Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes (North Caroline/Jefferson Streets)
- University of Maryland School of Law (Lombard and Paca Streets)
Over 300 biking enthusiasts registered for Baltimore City‟s event, which is the highest number of participants ever since the program began back in 1997. In addition to Baltimore City‟s Bike to Work Day event, morning rallies were also held in other local municipalities. Participating jurisdictions included Baltimore County (Towson and White Marsh), Anne Arundel County (Annapolis), Carroll County (Westminster), Harford County (Bel Air) and Howard County (Columbia).
The Department of Transportation is aggressively implementing its Bicycle Master Plan, which will connect the city through a network of bike lanes and trails. Within the past four years, 77 miles of bikeways and 35 miles of trails have been designated in the city. The Department of Transportation has also placed over 300 bike racks in neighborhoods throughout Baltimore for safer and more convenient bicycle parking.