Bike Newport

Bike Newport

More, better & safer bicycling

Menu
  • News
  • Events
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Search
Menu
  • Home
  • About Bike Newport
    • What we do
      • Education – The Bike Garage, Bike Library & other programs
      • Advocacy – The work we do to make biking better in Newport
      • Community – Group rides & other programs for you, the riders
      • Bikes – Learn how you can donate, earn, fix and ride bikes!
    • Who we are
      • About Bike Newport
      • Bike Newport’s People – Our staff, board & volunteers
      • Annual Reports
      • Opportunities
      • Locations-Contact
  • Biking in Newport
      • Park & Bike – Leave your car behind
      • Maps & Rides – Getting around town
      • Bike Racks – Find, borrow or sponsor bike racks
      • Safety & the law – Safe driving & riding
      • Bike Dreams – Dreams become exciting progress!
      • Crossing the Pell Bridge – The Pell bridge by bike – virtually
      • The Annex – Our full Service Bicycle Rental and Repair Shop
      • Shops, Rentals & Tours – Find or fix your ride!
  • Repairs & Rentals
  • Shop
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Membership
    • Sponsorship
    • Supporters
    • Volunteer
  • Cart
  • News
  • Events
  • Locations-Contact
  • Search
You are here: Shop / events / By the Hundreds They Came for the Car-Free Fun

By the Hundreds They Came for the Car-Free Fun

September 12, 2023

More than 400 residents of Aquidneck Island and surrounding communities rolled in on the morning of Saturday, September 9th to enjoy three glorious hours of car-free enjoyment along the scenic coastal route through Island Park & The Hummocks in Portsmouth, RI.

The Sakonnet Coastal Bike & Stroll was hosted by Bike Newport and Island Park Preservation Society, and made possible by a Rhode Island Streets Transformation grant to the Town of Portsmouth by the RI Department of Health, Grow Smart RI, and Providence Streets Coalition. The above video offers a brief taste of an experience that can be difficult to describe in words: a shared community experience of freedom, safety, relaxation, empowerment, and exhilaration.

The car-free route encompassed a two-mile stretch of Park Ave and the Hummocks, featured not one but two bridges including the separated shared use path crossing the Sakonnet River Bridge to Tiverton, and connected through to the entrance to Common Fence Point (see route map below). The event was conceived to showcase what it’s like to have a connected network of bike and pedestrian-safe infrastructure that’s separated from cars, and to demonstrate the public demand for more safe places to ride and walk away from motor vehicle traffic.

Bike Newport’s Director of Development Chris Barker commented: “By turning out in droves to enjoy this car-free opportunity, the public at large very clearly demonstrated the significant demand that exists for connected and separated infrastructure for riding and walking. We’ve seen how it enhances quality of life in nearby communities, and we need to get this done on Aquidneck Island”

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Route-Map-with-Blue-Line.png
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Event-Organizers.jpg
Members of the event committee for the Sakonnet Coastal Bike & Stroll, together with Lieutenant Patrick O’Neill of the Portsmouth Police (left) who was the department’s liaison to the planning, and Bike Newport founder and Executive Director Bari Freeman (right). Between them from left to right are: Lieutenant O’Neill, John Vit, event volunteer Mark Ryan, Senator Linda Ujifusa, Representative Michelle McGaw, and Portsmouth resident and Bike Newport Director of Development Chris Barker. Not pictured here are event committee members Mike MacFarlane and Ovanes Sungarian.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Schultzys.jpg
It was bikes galore outside of Schultzy’s Restaurant on Park Ave, as families stopped to enjoy ice cream and snacks.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Volunteers.jpg
A safe and successful car-free ride starts with awesome volunteers, and we definitely had those! Thank you to Bike Newport staff and board members, and all the local residents who gave their Saturday morning because they believe in the importance of promoting bike and pedestrian-safe infrastructure.

Thank You for making this such a special day!

We’re beyond grateful to the Portsmouth Police for the proactive and concerted role they played in helping us plan for a safe and successful community event. Thank you Chief Peters and Lieutenant O’Neill, and everyone on the detail for the event. Thank you to Brian Woodhead and the staff of the Portsmouth DPW. We express our thanks to the many residents of Island Park and The Hummocks who participated in the event, and also those who endured some re-routing, kindly delayed their travel, or awaited police escorts to safely get where they needed to go. Thank you to the Ride Island team for presenting at the Bike Newport tent (learn more about the Ride Island initiative here), and we enjoyed having Grow Smart RI and Providence Streets Coalition on hand to discuss Complete Streets. Thank you Clements’ Marketplace for providing water bottles, water and snacks.

And of course: a special thank you to all the event organizers and our friendly volunteers.

Thank you to the wonderful local business that sponsored the Sakonnet Coastal Bike & Stroll, including Berkshire Bank, Ocean State Air Solutions, The Green Grocer, Rail Explorers Rhode Island, Saccucci Honda, Sunset Cove, and WhippleTree Experts.

And most of all, our gratitude to each and every one of you who came out to ride or walk this beautiful coastal road as a community gathered for pure and simple happiness.

Related posts in Community, Events, Group rides, Infrastructure - planning, Sponsors - partners

Bike News for Newport & Beyond!


 

Bike Newport Logo whiteBike Newport
62 Broadway
Newport, RI 02840