Celebrate Bay State Bike Week May 14-20

The Patrick-Murray Administration today encouraged residents to join their neighbors and try bicycling during Bay State Bike Week, May 14-20, a week devoted to celebrating bicycle transportation. 

Thousands of Massachusetts residents, commuters, and families will celebrate Bay State Bike Week, bicycling at hundreds of events in every region of the Commonwealth.

Last year, MassDOT became the first state DOT in the nation to organize and lead a statewide Bike Week celebration, working in partnership with the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike), and MassRIDES, the Commonwealth’s statewide travel options program.

This year, MassDOT, MassBike, and MassRIDES is building on the successful 2010 effort and the long history of local Bike Week celebrations across the Commonwealth to broaden the scope of Bike Week events.

Bay State Bike Week supports GreenDOT, a comprehensive environmental responsibility and sustainability initiative of MassDOT.   GreenDOT calls for MassDOT to incorporate sustainability into all of its activities, from strategic planning to project design and construction to system operation.  GreenDOT includes greenhouse gas reduction targets mandated under the Global Warming Solutions Act, signed by Governor Patrick in 2008.  This law requires an economy-wide 2020 emissions reduction mandate of 25 percent, the first step toward a required 80 percent reduction by 2050. 

The Healthy Transportation Compact is an inter-agency consortium established by the 2009 Transportation Reform Law. The Compact is led by MassDOT, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and promotes healthy lifestyles through transportation system design and operations that facilitate walking, bicycling, and other active transportation modes.
A strong commitment to bicycle and pedestrian travel is a key part of MassDOT’s transportation vision. Learn more about Bay State Bike Week and current bicycling projects at www.mass.gov/massdot/bike.

Comments

[Mark Kaepplein]

I'd like to see state and local governments honor their green commitments by replacing some of their motor vehicles with bicycles! Government employees doing their jobs by bicycle would set a great example to other employers who have vehicle fleets or lease automobiles for employees.