By Gail Ruscetta, Community Educator, Bike Newport
Despite the wind doing its best to steal hats and ruffle spirits, Sunday’s Sakonnet Coastal Bike & Stroll proved once again that there’s something magical about claiming roads for people to bike, walk, roll, and stroll – even for just a few hours.
The Island Park Preservation Society organized this exceptional safe streets event, with a committee of volunteer residents and officials, and help from the Portsmouth Police Department, Department of Public Works, and Bike Newport.
The location of Bike Newport’s tent in front of Sunset Cove on Park Avenue was the perfect vantage point to witness pure joy in motion. All sorts of folks on all kinds of wheels rolled past — cuties on balance bikes, a 1970s banana-seat Schwinn ridden by its original owner, road bikes, hybrids, strollers and skaters, many stopping to chat with us about what this car-free experience meant to them. The word I heard most? Freedom.
“I forgot what it feels like to just… relax while biking,” one participant told me, still catching her breath from the coastal breeze. “No looking over my shoulder. No anxiety. Just riding.”
Car-free “open road” events give us a glimpse of what’s possible. They let people who might never venture onto busy roads experience the simple pleasure of pedaling through beautiful places without fear. Parents let their kids ride ahead. Adults of all ages take their time enjoying the views. Everyone smiles a little more.
It’s especially encouraging to hear conversations about what comes next. Thanks to Portsmouth’s newly formed Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC), those glimpses of car-free freedom will inform long-term infrastructure improvements in our community. With BPACs now established in all three island municipalities and working together toward regional connectivity, we’re not just dreaming about safer streets — we’re planning and building them.
The extra-blustery moments didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of those who braved the weather. They left with wind-blown hair, rosy cheeks, and something more valuable: encouragement. They experienced firsthand what our communities could feel like with infrastructure that invites and welcomes people biking and walking.
Many thanks to event chair, John Vit, the Island Park Preservation Society, sponsor BankNewport, and all the volunteers and businesses who supported this event in myriad ways.
Until next time, Let’s keep those wheels turning — and keep expanding safe, connected car-free experiences.
About Gail Ruscetta,
Community Educator
An educator and communicator, Gail has coached and entertained children, teens, and adults in the public and private school system, with horses on her farm in Montana, on Public Radio, and from the classical stage. Gail brings 40 years of teaching experience to Bike Newport. She holds a Bachelor’s in Theatre and Speech from the University of Rhode Island and a Master’s of Science in Education from Walden University. A Newport native, Gail is thrilled to be back in this beautiful area, and proud to be a member of the Bike Newport team.
Bike Newport