Bike to Work Day 2010: hundreds opt for bicycles, give up cars

The Money Times - Jaspreet Virk - ‎May 22, 2010‎

Promoting both fitness, and bicycle as an alternative for commuting to work, hundreds in the nation, celebrated 'Bike to Work Day' Friday. The event, held every year on the third Friday of May, saw fewer cars, and more bikes, as Americans traveled to and fro from work.

Event- a success across regions
The National Bike to Work Day was celebrated with a lot of fervor across different regions in the nation. Created by the League of American Bicyclists in 1956, the event has gained popularity over the year. Like always, millions turned up for the event to encourage Americans to opt for bikes, instead of cars, to travel short distances.

According to Commuter Connections, a regional network of transportation organizations, 9,200 bicyclists participated in the Washington D.C. area's Bike to Work Day event. It took to its Twitter feed and thanked all “who participated, sponsors and volunteers!”

In Baltimore, Maryland around 1,300 cyclists participated in the event. Bike to Work Central Maryland wrote on its Facebook page, “Thank you to everyone who came out this morning for Bike to Work Day! Great weather and great fun for all.”

Heather McColl, executive director, Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Association (ARTMA) also informed through Facebook that Anne Arundel County/Annapolis rally attracted 255 cyclists & supporters.

League of American Bicyclists will be celebrating its 130th League National Rally from June 3-6, and will be riding “through the colorful and historic New Mexican terrain.”

Bike friendly state ranking
Coinciding with the National Bike to Work Day, League of American Bicyclists also released Bicycle friendly state ranking. Among the states, which were considered friendliest states for biking, Washington topped the list, followed by Wisconsin, Maine, Minnesota, and Oregon. The states that scored the lowest included, New Mexico (46), West Virginia, (47), Montana, (48), North Dakota (49), and Alabama (50).