“Take Your Bike to Work Week,” an annual event that encourages commuters to change up their daily commute and try riding their bikes to work, will kick-off Monday, May 16, 2016.
Co-sponsored by the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) and the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD),“Take Your Bike to Work Week” will run May 16-20 and feature prize drawings, free bus rides, cyclist pit stops and a social media contest.
- Cyclists Ride Free on VCTC – From May 16-20, VCTC will offer free bus rides to customers who bring a bike on board any blue VCTC bus. Bicycle loading instructions and transit tips for cyclists can be found at www.goventura.org.
- Pledge and Win Prizes –Ventura County commuters who pledge to ride their bike to work just once during the week will be entered into a drawing to win prizes including a Fitbit, a GPS device, one of three $100 VISA gift cards or a $500 gift certificate for a new bike. Pledge online at www.goventura.org.
- Pit Stops –VCTC and VCAPCD will host morning pit stops to support riders on their way to work. Pit stops will include free refreshments, bike tune-ups and giveaways at the following locations:
| County Government Center – May 17,7-9 a.m.
800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, next to bus roundabout Partners: County of Ventura, Open Air Bicycles
|
Oxnard – May 18, 7-9 a.m.
Plaza Park, corner of Fifth and “B” Streets Partners: City of Oxnard, Performance Bicycles |
| Thousand Oaks – May 19, 7-9 a.m.
Elks Lodge Parking Lot, 158 N. Conejo School Rd., across from Conejo Elementary School Partners: City of Thousand Oaks, Westlake Cyclery |
Ventura – May 19, 6-9 a.m.
Northeast corner of Santa Clara and California Streets Partners: City of Ventura, Trek Bikes of Ventura |
- Social Media Photo Contest – Social media users who post a photo of themselves and their bikes to Facebookor Instagram and tag VCTC by Friday, May 20, will be entered into a drawing to win a commuter-friendly folding bike. VCTC can be found on Facebook (@GoVentura) and Instagram (@Go_VCTC.).
“Integrating biking into your workday commute reduces pollution and traffic in our community,” said VCTC Executive Director Darren Kettle. “This Bike Week, we especially want to encourage people to take advantage of our offer to bring a bike on board any VCTC bus and ride for free. In an expansive county like Ventura, combining biking and transit is a fun and practical way to experience a car-free commute.”
“Take Your Bike to Work Week” is part of VCTC’s ongoing efforts to encourage and improve biking in Ventura County. Working with cities, the County and cyclists, VCTC is currently drafting a Bicycle Wayfinding Plan that designates important regional bike routes and specifies design rules and signage templates to make these routes safer and easier to navigate for cyclists of all ages and ability levels.
By designating certain bike lanes as part of a regional network, the Bicycle Wayfinding Plan will allow jurisdictions to better compete for active transportation grants, bringing more funding to the County for bicycle improvements.
Those interested in exploring community bike paths can use VCTC’s Bikeways App on Apple and Android, which maps all existing bike routes in Ventura County.
About the Ventura County Transportation Commission
The Ventura County Transportation Commission is the regional transportation planning agency committed to keeping Ventura County moving. Program information is available at goventura.org.
