Press Releases - Department of Transportation

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Montgomery County will join the celebration of the annual Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 4, with a fun-filled event from 8:15-9:15 a.m. at Ritchie Park Elementary School in Rockville. Elected officials and representatives of the County’s Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and Vision Zero programs will be among those distributing safety materials and greeting students and parents to encourage biking to school.

Among those expected to join the event are County Executive Marc Elrich and Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin.

Richie Park Elementary School is located at 1514 Dunster Rd. in Rockville. MCDOT staff will meet students in front of the school as they arrive with safety education materials and giveaways. There will be special appearances from Zeal, the Traffic Safety Zebra, and Sparky, the Fire and Rescue Dog.

“Montgomery County is committed to ensuring that walking and biking to school is a safe option for as many students as possible,” said County Executive Elrich. “Biking to school is good for a student’s health and well-being, as well as helping us achieve our climate action goals by reducing reliance on cars. As part of our Vision Zero efforts, we will continue to invest in sidewalks, bicycle paths and public safety staffing around schools, such as crossing guards, in order to make biking to school an option for more students.”

The first-ever National Bike to School Day took place on May 9, 2012, in coordination with the League of American Bicyclists’ National Bike Month. Today, thousands of schools across America—from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico—will participate in Bike to School Day.

Bike to School Day celebrates bike month by encouraging students to bike to school. The initiative focuses on healthy lifestyles and safety. Schools and the surrounding neighborhoods participate in the campaign by raising awareness of traffic rules, encouraging riding a bike to school and raising neighborhood awareness to share the road with cyclists.

Partners in Bike to School Day include Montgomery County Police, the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and Montgomery County Public Schools.

Bike to School Day takes place on the first Wednesday in May to promote health and safer routes for students to walk and bike to school. The Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program supports the event as part of the County’s overall commitment to Vision Zero to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on its roads.

The day’s activities aim to reinforce reminders for drivers to be alert for pedestrians and bicyclists and for pedestrians of all ages to use marked crosswalks.

“Riding a bike to school is a great way to build community, get exercise and lessen the environmental impact associated with driving,” said MCDOT Director Conklin. “We are happy to support our students and hope to bring attention to bike safety.”

While the event is for Richie Park students and their family members, elementary schools are encouraged to promote Bike to School Day. Schools can get ideas from the Walk, Bike and Roll webiste.

For more information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.

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Media Contact: Emily DeTitta, 240-372-2282, or [email protected]

Release ID: 22-055
Media Contact: Emily DeTitta 240-372-2282