(JUNEAU, Alaska) – Alaska Governor Sean Parnell has proclaimed May as Bike Month, May 7 as Bike to School Day and May 16 as Bike to Work Day.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities joins with organizers throughout the state to support Bike to Work and Bike to School events. The department encourages both bicyclists and motorists to be careful on Alaska roads - not just during May, but always.

Alaska ranks fifth in the nation in the proportion of adults who bike to work and ranks first for adults who walk to work. When combined, Alaska ranks first in the nation with nearly 1 in 10 Alaskans walking or biking to work every day. 

Biking is an affordable, healthy form of transportation, and a great way to get the 30-60 minutes of daily activity recommended for optimum health.

Bicyclists are recognized in state law as legitimate users of Alaska’s roadways. Bicyclists are required to follow the “rules of the road” by riding on the right side of the road, signaling turns, and stopping at stop signs and stop signals.

Motorists can do their part too; by allowing a safe distance between their vehicle and cyclists when passing, by not cutting off cyclists when making a turn, and being particularly careful when transitioning through an intersection. Almost half of all vehicle-cyclist collisions occur at intersections.

Each year the national nonprofit League of American Bicyclists declares May as National Bike Month and helps organize Bike to Work events. This year marks the third annual National Bike to School Day, organized in conjunction with the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Learn more about participating schools at walkbiketoschool.org.

To view Governor Parnell's proclamation visit: gov.alaska.gov/parnell/press-room/proclamations.html.  

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 237 airports, 9 ferries serving 35 communities along 3,500 marine miles, over 5,600 miles of highway and 839 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to “Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure.”

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