Tens of Thousands Hit the Roads in Historic Festivities

/PRNewswire/ - The Bay Area witnessed an extraordinary boom in cycling passion on Thursday with Bike to Wherever Day, the centerpiece of the broader Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days and the extended Bay Area Bike Challenge. Riders from all nine counties turned out in force, racking up record distances, fostering community unity, and promoting biking as the top choice for active, healthful transportation.

Close to 20,000 cyclists stopped by over 340 Energizer Stations in the morning peak, picking up complimentary coffee, vital snacks, promotional items, and the popular signature tote featuring this year's distinctive Bike to Wherever Day design. These essential stations, run by teams from big companies, local groups, and community volunteers, buzzed with excitement throughout the region.

Though most stations focused on morning hours, numerous ones continued into the evening and over the weekend, hosting Bike Block Parties and Happy Hours.

"The vibrancy and excitement from cyclists region-wide never fails to impress," noted Marcella Aranda, public information officer at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and lead for Bike to Wherever Days. "This triumph reflects our committed riders and steadfast partners. It boosts ongoing biking initiatives and shifts to sustainable travel by encouraging folks to test biking and weave it into routines."

A range of elected officials and prominent local figures joined activities across the area, spearheading dynamic bike parades and official rides to City Halls in places like San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley.

Partial List of Elected Officials and Local Leaders Who Joined

Regional Agencies

East Bay Regional Parks District Director Luana España

Alameda County

Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii
Berkeley Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani (D1)
Oakland Councilmember Zac Unger (D1)
Oakland Councilmember Charlene Wang (D2)
Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife (D3)
Oakland Councilmember Noel Gallo (D5)
Oakland Department of Transportation Director Josh Rowan

Contra Costa County

El Cerrito Councilmember Rebecca Saltzman
Richmond Councilmember Cesar Zepeda (D3)

Marin County

Marin County Supervisor Mary Sackett (D1)
Marin County Supervisor and MTC Vice-Chair Stephanie Moulton-Peters (D3)
Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan (D5)

Napa County

City of Napa Fire Chief Zach Curren
City of Napa Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission Chair Dan Wilkowsky
Napa County Supervisor and MTC Commissioner Amber Manfree (D4)
Napa County Supervisor and MTC Commissioner Belia Ramos (D5)

San Francisco County

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie
San Francisco Supervisor and MTC Commissioner Myrna Melgar (D7)
San Francisco Supervisor Danny Sauter
SFMTA Board Director Janet Tarlov
San Francisco Youth Commissioner Ava Oram

San Mateo County

Redwood City Councilmember Isabella Chu (D3)
East Palo Alto Councilmember / EPA Board Member Mark Dinan
San Mateo Mayor Adam Loraine
President of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and MTC Commissioner Noelia Corzo (D2)

Santa Clara County

Cupertino Mayor Kitty Moore
Santa Clara County Supervisor and MTC Commissioner Margaret Abe-Koga (D5)
Gilroy Council Member Zach Hilton

Solano County

Suisun City Mayor Alma Hernandez
Dixon Mayor Steve Bird

Sonoma County

Cotati City Councilmember Ben Ford
Former Sebastopol Mayor Sarah Gurney
SMART General Manager Eddy Cumins
Sonoma County Supervisor Chris Coursey (D3)
Windsor Mayor Rosa Reynoza

Key Participation Moments
Thousands have taken the Pledge to Ride, vowing publicly to favor biking all May long. The motivating pledge states: "I will bike for my own health, clean air, and in support of safer and more vibrant streets. Whether I'm riding just one day or every day of the month - every trip makes a difference."

The Bay Area Bike Challenge already boasts nearly 900 registered riders. Avid participants have clocked more than 70,000 miles over 7,000 trips, aiming for the bold target of 175,000 miles region-wide.

MTC plans to give out 12 prizes at the challenge's end:

Two $500 prizes for top trips and miles.
Two $250 prizes for most inventive routes (by shape and points of interest).
Eight raffle prizes from $100 to $200, open to all entrants.

The Bay Area Bike Challenge continues until May 31. Expect the drive to persist as cyclists chase individual and collective targets.

About the Event
Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days is hosted by MTC (the planning, funding, and coordination body for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area), 511 (the area's traveler info service), and Amazon, backed by the Bay Area Air District and ART, plus many local backers. Prizes for Bike Champion of the Year come from MTC, Sports Basement, and Mike's Bikes. Local efforts are coordinated by:

Bike East Bay
511 Contra Costa
Marin County Bicycle Coalition
Napa County Bicycle Coalition
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
Solano Mobility
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition

SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission