'Bike To Work Day' Promotes Green Commuting In Prince George's

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — A local bicyclist group encourages Prince Georgians to cycle to their jobs on the 20th annual Bike To Work Day, which is on May 21. The event is organized by Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. Registration opened Monday.

The first 15,000 people to sign up at this link will get a free T-shirt when they bike to a pit stop in Maryland, Washington, D.C. or Virginia. Teleworkers can also join in by biking to a pit stop before heading home to start their shifts. The pit stops in Prince George's County are:

• Bladensburg Waterfront Park
• College Park – Duvall Field (former City Hall pit stop)
• Greenbelt Aquatic & Fitness Center
• Hyattsville at Magruder Park
• Largo/Kettering/Perrywood Community Center
• Mount Rainier Bike Co-op
• Oxon Hill/National Harbor
• Port Towns - Edmonston (Morning and Afternoon)
• Riverdale Park Station (Afternoon)
• University of Maryland (Afternoon)

The pit stops will follow strict coronavirus protocols, which include:

• Mandating mask usage
• Prohibiting contact during food pickup
• Requiring cyclists to preselect arrival times
• Limiting each half-hour timeslot to 25 to 30 cyclists
• Maintaining social distancing with one-way flow and signage
• Providing hand sanitizer

"We're very grateful to our continuing and new sponsors who help make these events stronger every year – and especially this year," Commuter Connections Director Nicholas Ramfos said in a press release. "We hope this year's Bike to Work Day event will provide the region with an opportunity for all residents— including essential workers and telecommuters—to reconnect with bicycling as a form of commuting, exercise, and as a way to encourage mental well-being."

For more information, head to biketoworkmetrodc.org or call (800) 745-RIDE.

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