Berkeley’s Bike Month Activities in the Nation’s 4th most bike popular city, but that’s about to change!
What: An energetic morning of bikeway ribbon cuttings, bike ride with elected officials, bike press event with Mayor Tom Bates and BART District 3 Director Rebecca Saltzman, energizer stations with free musette bags full of cool swag for bike commuters, and a pancake breakfast reward for all involved, in the nation’s 4th most popular city for bike commuting.
Who: Mayor Tom Bates and City of Berkeley elected officials, BART District 3 Director Rebecca Saltzman, Mark Chekel-Bain District Director for Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, East Bay Bicycle Coalition Advocacy Director Dave Campbell, and Mitch Bostian Head of The Berkeley School.
When:
- 8:00am: ribbon cutting ceremony for the West Street Pathway at The Berkeley School morning energizer station, 1310 University Ave (at the West Street Pathway)
- 8:10am: short bike ride with Mayor Tom Bates and Berkeley City Council members along the West Street Pathway to North Berkeley BART Station energizer station hosted by REI Berkeley
- 8:45am press event at North Berkeley BART featuring BART District 3 Director Rebecca Saltzman, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, and Assemblymember Nancy Skinner’s office making a special announcement about Berkeley’s commitment to bicycling
- 9:00am: short bike ride with Mayor Bates and elected officials to the Downtown Berkeley BART Station energizer station
- 9:30am: pancake breakfast celebration-free pancakes for all media!
Where: 8:00am at The Berkeley School, 8:30am at North Berkeley BART Station, 9:30am at Downtown Berkeley Bike Station
RSVP: Please contact Dave Campbell at dave@ebbc.org, 510-701-5971 with any questions or interview requests. A press release will be sent out after the press conference.
The Stage:
On any given morning, over 5,000 people bike commute thru Berkeley. On Thursday, May 9 – Bike to Work Day, this number will multiply, as the nation’s 4th most popular city for bike commuting takes to its bikes in what is shaping up to be a record event. However, Berkeley can do better.
Berkeley is poised on Bike to Work Day to make an important commitment to bicycling, details of which Mayor Tom Bates is eager to share with the public and other bike-friendly cities, particularly Davis and Palo Alto.
In 2011, the rate of bike commuting in Berkeley rose above the 10% level, meaning that 1 in 10 commuters in Berkeley use a bike as their primary means of getting to work/school. Many more use their bikes as an alternative way commuting. And since bike commute statistics do not capture these additional trips or people bicycling to transit, Berkeley’s bike commute mode share is higher.
In 2012, for the first time ever, Berkeley counted more bikes than cars at the intersection of Bancroft Way & Telegraph Ave (Sproul Plaza) where the UC Berkeley staff conduct bike counts every year on Bike to Work Day.
In 2013, Berkeley will start updating its Bicycle Plan for the first time since 2000. Yes the City with the Bay Area’s 1st Bicycle Plan (1971) currently has the oldest bicycle plan. This will be a comprehensive update, and the public will learn much more about the Bicycle Plan update on Bike to Work Day at the 8:45am press event and later at the Downtown Berkeley BART Station pancake breakfast celebration. On Bike to Work Day, we expect to hear a special announcement from Mayor Tom Bates involving Berkeley’s commitment to bicycling and its desire to do better. Please join us.
Other Bike to Work Day activities include energizer stations at key intersections throughout Berkeley and the East Bay, and a Bike Happy Hour party on Washington Street in Old Oakland.