Ditch The Car For First Annual 'Bike To Work Day'

 The first annual “Bike to Work Day Newport” will take place in Newport on Friday, May 20, with activities scheduled throughout the day from 6am to 7:30pm.

“Park & Bike” parking will be available for long-distance and Pell Bridge commuters at Newport Grand Slots.

The day’s events include:

-          6-10am: Light breakfast will be provided to cyclists at the Great Friends Meeting House on the green at the intersection of Farewell/Marlborough/Dr. Marcus Wheatland.

-          1pm: Press conference on the steps of City Hall, Broadway, Newport announcing the results of a city-wide survey of nearly 1500 young people about bicycling, AND release of the first-ever Newport Bicycle Map, including Rules of the Road in English and Spanish, funded in part by the Newport Convention and Visitors Bureau, among other exciting bicycling announcements

-          4pm: Community Bike Ride circling the city, led by East Bay Met School, beginning at the Great Friends Meeting House and ending at King Park.

-          5-7:30pm: BIKE FAIR! at King Park, Wellington Avenue.  Including fancy bicycle parade, awards, vendors, auction of artist-interpreted helmets, music by Rogers HS students, bicycle maintenance, bicycle safety and other activities. 

REGISTRATION for Cyclists, Employers and Vendors is online at www.BikeNewport.me.  Registration though not required is extremely helpful to planning and reporting. Everyone registered will receive a commemorative button produced by State Representative, Newport native and bicycling enthusiast, Peter Martin.

The Poster Series:  Newport’s Bike to Work Day promotion includes a series of small posters featuring prominent Newporters on their bicycles, on display in storefronts across the city. Still in progress, the series so far includes Mayor Stephen Waluk, Councilor Jeanne Marie Napolitano, First Night Newport Director Charles Roberts, NUWC Commander Charles Albrecht and Superintendent of Schools Jack Ambrogi – with more in the works.  Watch for new faces! 

Cdr. Albrecht shared, “I was thrilled to participate in the poster series – it’s a great way to personalize the encouragement.  Like so many of my colleagues, I live and work in Newport.  Leaving my car home is good for my health and helps the community to lessen traffic congestion at the same time. And what more beautiful place to start the day energized and oxygenated!  At Naval Undersea Warfare Center, we see Bike to Work Day as a launching point to get more Navy employees onto their bicycles.”

Bike to Work Day is an annual event held in cities across the US and Canada that encourages and promotes bicycling as an option for commuting to work. This first-year effort was supported by the resolution of the Newport City Council declaring May 20 as Bike to Work Day in Newport.

Newport’s Bike to Work Day is generously sponsored by AARP and the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen and benefits the Bicycle Education Program in Newport Public Schools.

“Bike to Work Day is a perfect fit with AARP’s Livable Communities initiative,” says AARP Rhode Island’s Associate State Director of Advocacy (and Newport resident), Deanna Casey.  “Our efforts are to encourage and improve cyclist and pedestrian experience so more people will opt for active alternatives to the car.  Working on Bike to Work Day Newport has exposed the breadth of support and collaboration opportunities to improve and encourage walking and bicycling in Newport.  AARP is VERY happy to sponsor this event and sees it as forward motion on a long-term commitment.”

The collaborative planning team of municipal, school, business and advocacy leader is spearheaded by BikeNewport.me and includes Aquidneck Island Planning Commission, City of Newport, East Bay Met School, Newport Bicycle, Newport Convention and Visitors Bureau, Newport Historical Society, Newport International Hostel, Newport Police Department, Newport Public Schools, RI Bicycle Coalition, REI, Ten Speed Spokes and the US Open Cycling Foundation.