Swarms of cyclists took to the streets of the East Bay on Thursday, May 13 to enjoy the healthiest commute and celebrate the East Bay’s 17th Annual Bike to Work Day. And the numbers keep increasing. Bicycling counts were up 10% over 2009 and over the last three years bicycling rates have increased 2.5 times on Bike to Work Day.
Bike to Work Day morning energizer station photos:
Bike Away from Work Party Photos
The swarm of activity this year centered around Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley. There, at the intersection of Telegraph and Bancroft on the edge of campus, bicyclists accounted for 25% of traffic. For the first time in recent memory, the energizer station at Sproul Plaza surpassed the Frank Ogawa Plaza energizer station in downtown Oakland as the East Bay’s largest energizer station, And for the first time ever, an East Bay energizer station counted over 700 bicyclists during the morning commute.
Bike to Work Day in the News
- Bike Commuters of the Year: Contra Costa Times
- East Bay Bicycle Coalition on a Mission: East Bay Express
- Bike to Work Day Rolls Thru Oakland: Oakland Local
- Thousands Participate in Bike to Work Day: KCBS
- Hundreds of Thousands of Cyclists Take Part in Bike to Work Day: Oakland Tribune
- Bike to Work Day: SF Weekly (Great East Bay photos!)
All the excitement culminated in a fun-filled Bike Away from Work Party in the Uptown District, with Cyclecide, the Big Tadoo Puppet Crew and Beyond Bikes entertaining adults and kids alike with crazy bikes, bike-themed music, and of course a bike-safety puppet show. State Senator Loni Hancock and Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates kicked off the party with an update on SB 1061 to fund a bikeway on the West Span of the Bay Bridge and awarding of the Bike Commuter of the Year Awards to T.D. Fisher of Oakland and Louis Sandoval of San Pablo.
Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers and energetic staff who committed much of their time and effort to make Bike to Work Day such a success. Over 100 energizer stations were hosted on Thursday, both morning and evening, handing out collector musette bags full of goodies, and re-energizing commuters on their way.
Congratulations and thanks to everyone who hopped on a bike today. Oh behalf of cyclists everywhere, the East Bay Bicycle Coalition thanks you. Next up:
Happy Bike to Work Day!