Sacramento logs a million plus

Sacramento bicycle commuters have reason to celebrate today. Cyclists participating in the annual May is Bike Month promotion have smashed past the 1 million mile threshold for the first time ever. Organized by several local agencies--including Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, Sacramento DOT, Caltrans, and others--May is Bike Month offers incentive prizes, t-shirts, commuting resources, and an informative website. Employer and club teams can compete for incentives.

This is the first year Sacramento's Bike Month Million Mile Challenge has actually reached the 1 million miles marker. Past years:

2007: 926,638
2006: 627,593
2005: 476,164

Much of this bicycling activity is recreational, but bike commuters participating in the challenge have logged more than 400,000 miles to date. The Air Quality Management District suggests this bicycling makes a difference:

The current number of commute and errand miles ridden has saved 412,025 pounds of global-warming CO2 and 5,724 pounds of other air pollution from our atmosphere. The cyclists also saved 21,193 gallons of gasoline (worth about $82,442.67)

Among the teams competing (employers, clubs), members of the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates rank second, logging 36,000 miles to date. SABA trails only the relentless pedalers of the Davis Bike Club; Caltrans employees have bicycled more than 56,000 miles.

High gas prices are clearly encouraging many Sacramento area commuters to travel by bicycle. The practice bicycling may be helpful over the next month, as the city closes a key interstate link (I-5) through downtown for "Big Fix" construction, causing abundant (excessive) anxiety among motorists.

Image: Web capture.
Visit: Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates
Visit: Sacramento: May means bicycling, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Sacramento celebrates bicycling, Bike Commute Tips Blog.
Visit: Sacramento: Cycle City?, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site