Governor Dannel Malloy has officially proclaimed May 9, 2012 as “Bike to School Day” in the State of Connecticut to encourage all citizens to consider the safety of children who walk or bicycle to school. 

The official proclamation states, “Children, parents, and community leaders around Connecticut should join together to improve bicycling and walking opportunities in their communities.”

The National Center for Safe Routes to School planned the inaugural National Bike to School Day, in partnership with the League of American Bicyclists, to provide the first opportunity for communities across the country to join together to bicycle to school on the same day. The day builds on the excitement surrounding National Bike Month, led by the League of American Bicyclists, each May. The day also builds connections between families, schools and the broader community.

Bike to School Day encourages a nationwide bike-focused celebration for students, and planned events can raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for bicycling and walking.  This day also emphasizes the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, and reducing traffic congestion which can lead to improved air quality.

Many of Connecticut’s schools participate in the Safe Routes to School program which provides resources for sustained efforts by elementary and middle schools, community members, local, state and federal governments to enable and encourage children to safely walk or bicycle to school.  A well designed Safe Routes program will diagnose what keeps kids from making the choice to walk or bike, and then develop strategies to change the environment and culture.

So visit www.ctsaferoutes.org and see how your schools and neighborhoods can benefit from this program.  Also visit www.walkbiketoschool.org for more information about Bike to School Day and the new event planning resources and tools, including a new GIS-powered walking and bicycling route mapping tool!

For additional information:

Contact: State Coordinator -  Sharon Okoye

                                                Phone: (860) 594-2367

                                                E-mail: sharon.okoye@ct.gov

Please visit these websites:

            Connecticut Safe Routes to School               www.ctsaferoutes.org

            Walk and Bike to School Day                         www.walkbiketoschool.org   

            National Center for Safe Routes to School    www.saferoutesinfo.org