Oakland, CA (May 10, 2018) – Thousands of East Bay residents pedaled to work on Thursday, May 10 to celebrate the 24th annual Bay Area Bike to Work Day. Morning counts across the East Bay tallied 19,800 people rolling by Energizer Stations. Participation has increased 30% over the past five years.
Bike to Work Day encouraged local residents to try commuting by bicycle for the first time and celebrated those who ride regularly. Bike East Bay partnered with hundreds of community groups to host Energizer Stations in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Local students and teachers joined in the fun with 117 schools hosting Bike to School Day festivities on Thursday and throughout National Bike Month this May.
“I love the Bike to Work Day spirit!” said Ginger Jui, Interim Executive Director of Bike East Bay. “I saw Mayor Libby Schaaf on an electric Ford GoBike on my way to Oakland City Hall. Next to her was a unicyclist and a parent biking to drop his kids off at school before heading to work. We need to have this much fun everyday. I’m proud that Bike East Bay is working to build safe and well-connected bike lanes so you have a great time riding all year.”
A 2011 survey of Alameda County residents showed that nearly one in three people who participated in Bike to Work Day said they rode more frequently after the event.
People on bikes rolled by 142 Energizer Stations located next to popular bike commute routes, along regional trails, at BART and other transit stations, and in downtown areas around the East Bay. Hundreds of volunteers cheered them on by giving away coffee, snacks, and free Bike to Work Day bags.
Bike to Work Day continued in the afternoon with select Energizer Stations open for the evening commute and Bike Happy Hour parties across the East Bay.
Elected Officials Joined on Two Wheels
Oakland’s Mayor Libby Schaaf (left) and Councilmember Abel Guillen (right) stopped by an Energizer Station hosted by Caltrans on their way to city hall.
In Emeryville, Mayor John Bauters and city councilmembers celebrated the new Peladeau Park segment of the Emeryville Greenway, a bicycle and pedestrian path and linear park, with a ribbon cutting, refreshments, and free giveaways.
Elected officials in Oakland rode to City Hall for a pancake breakfast at Frank Ogawa Plaza. Mayor Libby Schaaf and Councilmember Abel Guillen rode in from the Grand Lake Ace Hardware store Energizer Station. They were joined by Councilmembers Rebecca Kaplan, Annie Campbell Washington, and Dan Kalb, who arrived with constituents in pedal-pools around the city.
Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin led a bike ride highlighting the city’s new protected bike lanes on Bancroft Way next to UC Berkeley. After picking up Bike to Work Day bags at an Energizer Station, the ride ended at the Berkeley Bike Station, a free bike parking station in downtown Berkeley.