On Friday, May 16th, Bike Newport, RIPTA, and a collection of bike commuters celebrated National Bike to Work Day by gathering in front of Newport City Hall – recognizing together that riding a bike, walking, and using public transit contribute to less traffic congestion, better air quality, and a happier commute to work.
In the morning, bike commuters were greeted with refreshments, camaraderie, and fun giveaways. Participants signed up for RIPTA’s DriveLessRI tracking app and learned about upcoming programs, such as Bike Newport’s e-bike safety classes and Elliot’s Ride for Everyone. Sophia Szabo of WPRI 12 News joined the fun and covered the activities in advance and live that day. Watch her coverage here. 🚲🚲❤️🚲🚲
In the afternoon, the celebration continued with a gathering for “bike-friendly” updates. Speakers and announcements focused on making it possible for more people to choose biking for local transportation.
Colin Kennedy, Newport City Manager, praised people who bike locally for contributing to reducing traffic congestion. He shared that he is bicycle enthusiast with a personal history of competitive riding, and pledged to join the ranks of those who bike to work. Referring to Keep Newport Moving, the Newport Transportation Master Plan, Kennedy noted that a key to achieving more biking is separated infrastructure . “You get more cyclists when you separate them from the roadway… We have been able to do that along JT Connell Highway, and we are very excited about moving that forward in other environments around Newport.”
Tara Zambrotta, Chair of the Newport BPAC (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission), and Instagram Influencer @newportneedssidewalks, spoke about the importance of investing in multimodal infrastructure: “It’s important for our future generations to be able to bike and walk safely around Newport and around the entire island. The Ride Island Bike Plan is a key step in the process. Through Ride Island are communicating with our neighbors in Middletown and Portsmouth to work together towards common goals for Aquidneck Island.”
Bari Freeman, Executive Director of Bike Newport presented the annual “Bicycle Friendly Business of the Year” award to FabNewport. This changemaking agency helps young people to connect with their interests and visions through vibrant mentorships, programs, and activities. From its inception, biking has been integrated into the fiber of the programs and, with it, the every day lives of young people all over Aquidneck Island and beyond. Accepting the award, Chris Gross, Fab’s Director of Ecosystem Impact, shared, “The confidence that it gives a young person to learn how to ride a bike and get from point A to point B without asking anyone for a ride is so important. We are really glad to be in partnership with Bike Newport, and let’s keep going!”
Launch of Get There By Bike
The afternoon program featured the launch of Get There By Bike – an islandwide initiative to help businesses, events and all destinations to promote and encourage people biking to their locations to relieve traffic congestion and improve the overall island experience.
Funded by 11th Hour Racing, the initiative provides information and resources for bike racks, bike routes, community awareness, and “Park & Bike” guidance to make it easier for more people to choose biking.
An early project of the initiative was an islandwide Bike Rack Contest. The winners were announced at the afternoon gathering and include: Grafik Coffee (Portsmouth), Common Fence Point (Portsmouth), Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge (Middletown), The Food Shack (Middletown), Wayfinder Hotel (Newport), Conexión Latina (Newport), and Newport Art Museum.
Winners of the racks shared their enthusiasm:
Erika D’Arezzo of Wayfinder Hotel: “We’re committed to supporting sustainable transportation and encouraging exploration—after all, our island’s scenic views are best enjoyed by pedal. These racks may seem small, but they have a meaningful impact in promoting a healthier, greener, and more connected community”.
Ashley Murphy of Common Fence Point: “The bike racks will represent more than just a place to park bikes—they’re a symbol of our community’s growing commitment to healthy living and outdoor activity.”.
Joshua Whalen of Grafik Coffee: “Supporting sustainable transportation and creating a welcoming space for cyclists aligns perfectly with our values. We’re proud to contribute to a more bike-friendly community and grateful to Bike Newport for helping make that possible. We can’t wait to see more bikes parked out front!”
Bike Newport