30th Anniversary of Bike to Work Day: Celebrating Biking and Commuting in San Francisco Bay Area

Photo byBay Area Bike to Work

San Francisco Bay Area celebrates the 30th anniversary with events and Energizer Stations.

Thursday, May 16th, marks the 30th anniversary of Bay Area Bike to Work Day/Bike to Wherever Day (s), which started in 1994 to celebrate bicycles as a fun and healthy way to commute.

The event encourages regular bike commuters and those who typically do not cycle to consider it a transportation mode.

Photo byJoshua Rawson-HarrisonUnsplash

Bike to Work Day also advocates for enhanced bicycle infrastructure and safety throughout the region. All nine Bay Area counties offer Energizer Stations for cyclists, hold special events, and invite elected officials to show their support.

Since its inception, Bay Area Bike to Work Day has attracted increasing participation from new and seasoned riders. Throughout May, Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days, our region’s counties are hosting a Bay Area Bike Challenge, inviting riders to log their trips and compete for one of eight prizes.

It is incredible to see how much has changed in the world of bicycling in the last 30 years, thanks mainly to the visibility biking gets each year on this Day. To mark the 30th anniversary, we invited bikers to participate in a month-long goal of logging 30,000 bike miles. This Bike Challenge has been an enormous success. After only two weeks, we have exceeded our goal. The event is a testament to the passion and hard work of cyclists across the Bay Area. -Andrew Fremier, Executive Director, MTC.

On Bike to Work Day, the nine Bay Area counties will set up Energizer Stations where riders can pick up commemorative bags filled with a host of giveaways or refuel and re-energize on their final destination. These stations are coordinated by local county bicycle coalitions or agencies and hosted by businesses, cities, schools, and nonprofits, primarily run by volunteers.

Photo byAlex FergusononUnsplash

Part of what makes Bike to Work Day so special is the broad participation. It is an actual community event, spanning nearly every community in the Bay Area. -Marcella Aranda, MTC Public Information Officer.

For the first time, all Energizer Station locations are on one map. The Day before Bike to Work Day, the Bay Area had hundreds of Energizer Stations across all nine counties, with various events throughout the Day and into the weekend.

We are thrilled to see the deeper collaboration across the region. So many of us start biking in one county and end up in another. This event shows just how connected our area is. -Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Clarrissa Cabansagan.

A beloved hallmark of Bike To Work Day and Bike to Wherever Days is the commemorative yellow, green, and blue tote bag given away at Energizer Stations, featuring new art each year. San Francisco-based artist Patrick Sean Gibson has designed the artwork for the commemorative bags since 2021.

Photo byMarkus SpiskeonUnsplash

I'm a huge fan of minimal color palettes and am super inspired by the poster art of the Fillmore back in the Day. The flowy Fillmore posters of the late '60s and the general San Francisco trippy vibe loosely inspire the background design of this year's bag. -Artist Patrick Sean Gibson

BTWD 2024 receives support from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, 511, Amazon, BART, MTC, Sports Basement, and Mike’sregion’s Bikes donated prizes for the Bike Champion of the Year winners.

SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission

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