Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden is kicking off Bike Month on Saturday with the annual Family Bike Day beginning at 9 a.m.
Holden and his wife will lead Baton Rouge bikers in a two-mile ride from BREC’s Farr Park to Skip Bertman Drive on the new Mississippi River Bike Path.
Before the ride, there will be a “Blessing of the Bikes” ceremony, followed by the dedication of the new 9,500-foot-long levee bike path.
Baton Rouge is the first city in Louisiana to be recognized as a bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists, according to a news release from the Mayor’s Office.
Other Bike Month events include the Velo Louisiane Bicycle Festival and Bike to Work Week, said Amanda Schram, federal and state grants coordinator for Holden’s office.
Schram said the goal of Bike Month is to promote safety and awareness so automobile drivers and cyclists are knowledgeable of road rules and how to travel safely.
Bruce Wickert, chair of the Bike and Pedestrian Committee at the Capital Region Planning Commission, said it’s important to celebrate bicycling because it’s a form of transportation and recreation that improves health and relieves traffic strains.
“Declaring Bike Month is about getting people out and about. They’ll have fun doing it, and they’ll be more aware of the movement,” he said.
Wickert said he hopes Bike Month participation will encourage legislators and council members to work to improve conditions for cyclists.
Adding bike paths is an important quality-of-life component and could influence people’s decisions when considering whether to move to Baton Rouge, he said.
Wickert said Bike Month has been recognized in Baton Rouge for five years, but 2010 was the first year it was celebrated in April.
Velo Louisiane is typically the largest event, drawing about 300 participants in past years, he said.
 
 
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Contact Emily Herrington at [email protected].