The Baltimore City Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied is proud to announce that a record number of cyclists participated in Baltimore City\u201fs 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cBike to Work Day is an excellent way to motivate citizens to use alternative modes of transportation,\u201d said Khalil Zaied, Director of Baltimore City\u201fs Department of Transportation. \u201cThe City of Baltimore is making great strides in becoming bicycle friendly, and we are excited that so many cyclists took part in this year\u201fs event.<\/p>\n
To promote Bike to Work Day in the city this year, the Department of Transportation organized a number of \u201ecommuter stations\u201f at various locations throughout Baltimore in leau of having one large event.<\/p>\n
These \u201epit-stop\u201f 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\u201fs event. The seven commuter stations included:<\/p>\n
Over 300 biking enthusiasts registered for Baltimore City\u201fs event, which is the highest number of participants ever since the program began back in 1997. In addition to Baltimore City\u201fs 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).<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n