Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

ENROLLED ORIGINAL

                                A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION

                                                24-51

                    IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

                                            May 4, 2021

To recognize and celebrate the 20th anniversary of Bike to Work Day and the many individual,

       environmental, and transit benefits to commuting by bicycle, and to reaffirm the

       Districts commitment to safe, equitable, and protected bicycle lane infrastructure.

       WHEREAS, regular cycling has been shown to reduce an individuals average annual

healthcare costs, decrease absenteeism from work, and increase productivity during the day.

Furthermore, workers who commute by bicycle report arriving to work more alert and relaxed

than commuters who travel by automobile;

       WHEREAS, in addition to numerous physical and mental health benefits, biking to work

can save some employees over $700 per year and cuts down on an individuals household carbon

emissions by at least 6% per year;

         WHEREAS, bicycle commuting is an effective means to improve local air quality, reduce

traffic congestion and noise pollution, and conserves significant amounts of energy. To support

these environmental benefits, the Sustainable DC Plan has set a goal of having 25% of all

commutes occur via bicycle and walking by 2032;

        WHEREAS, while there is still much progress to be made, the District is second in the

nation in terms of cities with the highest percentage of bike commuters per capita, with 5% of all

commutes in the District occurring by bicycle;

         WHEREAS, to further expand equitable access to cycling and protect current vulnerable road

users, the District must enhance its cycling infrastructure plan and provide a safe, extensive network

of trails and protected bike lanes for recreational and commuter cyclists across the District;

        WHEREAS, sales in bicycles and a newfound interest in cycling boomed during the past

year of the of the Public Health Emergency and the District should seize this opportunity to support

continued cycling as the country reopens and begins to recover from the pandemic;

       WHEREAS, Bike to Work Day is free regional event that celebrates the many benefits of

commuting by bike, offers more than 90 Bike to Work pit stops for riders, and provides a

supportive and encouraging environment for new and first time bike commuters; and

                                                                       ENROLLED ORIGINAL

       WHEREAS, Bike to Work Day is organized by Commuter Connections and the

Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), with May 21st marking the 20th anniversary of

Bike to Work Day throughout the Washington region.

        RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this

resolution may be cited as the 20th Anniversary of Bike to Work Day Recognition Resolution

of 2021.

        Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes that cycling on a regular basis

is a benefit to ones mental and physical health and contributes to the sustainability goals of the

District of Columbia and the wider region. The Council encourages cycling as a viable mode of

transportation and urges for the equitable expansion of protected bicycle infrastructure across the

District.

       Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.