Baton Rouge cyclists should keep their bike chains greased and ready to go for Baton Rouge Bike Month.
Founder of Bike Baton Rouge, also known as Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets, Mark Martin said the month focuses on generating public awareness for cycling.
Several events are in the lineup for cyclists new and old in the Capital City area, including the annual Mayor’s Family Bike Ride, Velo des Fleurs, Bike to Work week and the Baton Rouge Police Department’s bike auction.
As part of the Mayor’s Healthy City Initiative, Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden and his wife will lead the Mayor’s Annual Family Bike Day through the Garden District on Saturday.
Martin said this year, the annual monthlong celebration is seeing more participants and more agencies to partner with.
“We have done it long enough and now we are getting more participants,” Martin said.
According to a news release, this year Baton Rouge will be named Louisiana’s first Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.
J.T. Sukits, ride chair coordinator of the Capital Region Planning Commission, said cycling and cycling awareness can benefit the community on multiple levels.
“Cycling is a way to promote a healthy lifestyle and improves the quality of life for the community as a whole,” Sukits said.
This year, one of the highlights of the program is the growing number of participants in Bike to Work week, Martin said.
“We’ll be focusing on bike-friendly businesses,” Martin said.
Martin said students should cycle and participate in these events to be a part of the community because the more collaboration there is, the more likely advances will be made for pedestrian and cycling safety.
“Students should raise their own awareness of the issues. It involves the role of the individual within their civic duty to pursue better infrastructure and changes in the law. It’s important for people to realize they are part of a larger community and interaction between the university and city,” Martin said.
”It’s important for people to realize they are part of a larger community and interaction between the university and city.”
