While May and all the Bike Month festivities have come and gone, there are several bicycling activities to keep in mind over the next few weeks. BikeArlington’s Two Wheel Tuesdays program has gotten off to a great start, providing essential information to cyclists about biking in Arlington. The series will continue in June, starting tomorrow, June 5th, at 7pm in Courthouse. This session will discuss bicycling safety tips, including rules of the road, positioning and riding techniques, as well as other strategies to keep you safe while biking on city streets. The following Two Wheel Tuesday sessions this month will focus on bicycling equipment, clothing, and gear, plus routes and directions that are recommended by experienced riders.
If you are an employer, don’t forget that Bicycle Friendly Business applications are due on June 22nd to be considered for September 2012 designation. This program recognizes companies who promote bicycle commuting among employees by offering benefits such as bike parking, showers, financial incentives, and other strategies to make the workplace more bike friendly. If you are interested in applying to become a Bicycle Friendly Business, ATP will work with you throughout the process and provide any information you may need to help your company earn recognition. Contact us today!
In addition to bicycling, walking is a great way to get around and stay in shape, especially in Arlington. This Sunday, June 10th, WalkArlington is hosting a Walkabout in the Arlington Ridge-Aurora Highlands neighborhood from 3pm to 5pm. This two-mile route, which was developed by neighborhood residents, explores various gathering places, historic sites, parks, and shopping areas, among other locations. Be sure to join WalkArlington for this FREE event on Sunday!
The Pike Transit Initiative, which is coordinating the Columbia Pike Streetcar project, is hosting two public meetings (PDF, 135KB, Adobe Reader required) this week on Wednesday, June 6th in Arlington, and Thursday, June 7th in Falls Church. These meetings are a great opportunity for residents and the public to offer any comments they have or learn more about the project and its planning process. If you cannot attend, comments can also be submitted online or by mail through June 21st.
For all you Metro commuters, you might have noticed the new Rush Plus maps (PDF, 870 KB, Adobe Reader required) that are being installed in stations and trains throughout the system. This new program, which begins on June 18th, will help improve service to riders on the Yellow, Green, Blue, and Orange lines. Twenty-one stations will get an additional six trains for every hour of rush hour. Learn more at WMATA to see how Rush Plus will affect you!
Lastly, it was recently reported that public transit ridership has increased 5% in the last quarter, which makes us even more excited for National Dump the Pump Day on Thursday, June 21st! This nationwide event, sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association, encourages commuters to leave the car at home and take public transit to work instead. If you don’t already ride the Metro or bus for your daily commute, this is a great opportunity to give transit a try and experience the numerous benefits such as savings on gas expenses and a reduction in vehicle emissions. Join us in taking the pledge to Dump the Pump!
Hope to see you commuters out there this month! If you have any questions or would like more information about any of these events or programs, feel free to contact ATP!
