May is National Bike Month, and Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) and its Safe Routes to Schools Program are excited to announce that over 100 Alameda County schools and approximately 4,000 students are participating in Bike to School Day on Thursday, May 9. See the press release about this exciting news.

Alameda CTC has invested significantly in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and safety improvements throughout Alameda County, and the results can be seen with smoother pavement, safer streets and more bike lanes. Many of these bicycle facility improvements that have been occurring throughout Alameda County are in part thanks to voter-approved transportation funds from Measures B and BB. And thanks to a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), Alameda CTC and the Safe Routes to Schools Program is placing extra emphasis on traffic safety for all and encourages drivers and bicycle riders to look out for one another on Bike to School Day. Safety tips for drivers and bicycle riders are available at gosafelyca.org/bicycle-pedestrian-safety.

Bike to School Day is one of several major events throughout the school year that encourages students to use shared and active transportation to get to school. It is one of many events around the Bay Area during National Bike Month and coincides with Bike to Work Day. Visit one of the many Bike to Work Day energizer stations located throughout the county on your way to work and join fellow bicyclists after work at a number of planned bike happy hour celebrations all over the East Bay. For details on Bike to Work Day in the East Bay, including “Take the Pledge,†visit Bike East Bay’s website. Go to https://mtc.ca.gov/tags/bike-work-day and discover what 2019 Bike Commuters of the Year are saying about pedaling to work. For major Bike to Work Day events throughout the Bay Area, go to https://mtc.ca.gov/whats-happening/news/bay-area-bike-work-day-coming-may-9.

Students and their families are encouraged to take advantage of Alameda CTC-sponsored Bicycle Safety Classes to tune up bicycling skills, learn theft prevention tactics or get tips for riding at night or on downtown streets. Safety classes are free and in English, Cantonese or Spanish to help all riders feel comfortable cycling throughout the county.

Alameda CTC is happy to be a part of helping a new generation to embrace healthy transportation choices, and prevent additional congestion.