Medford Will Be Site Of Youth Bike Safety Day Event

MEDFORD, MA — Medford will be the site of a Youth Bike Safety Day event later this month.

The free, family event is scheduled for 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Charlotte and William Bloomberg Medford Public Library, located at 111 High St. Youth Bike Safety Day is presented by WalkMedford, Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS) and Medford SRTS Citywide Task Force.

From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., a pop-up Kids Bike Clinic will feature community volunteers from the Medford Bicycle Advisory Commission, who will be available to provide basic maintenance to children's bikes.

A Bike Safety Workshop is scheduled for 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. inside the library's Bonsignore Hall. Registration is required and available online.

The workshop will feature Vivian Ortiz, Medford's SRTS liaison and Boston's "Bicycle Mayor," teaching families about different types of bicycles, the ABC's of biking, hand signals, where to bike and what to wear while biking. The event is geared toward families with students in grades 3-6.

From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Ortiz will conduct a helmet fitting for attendees, and she'll be available to talk with families about the joys of cycling.

Additionally, members of the new Medford Citywide SRTS Task Force will be on hand to answer questions about joining — or leading — a walking and cycling route to school.

The SRTS Program, according to its website, works to increase safe biking and walking among elementary, middle school and high school students by using a collaborative, community-focused approach that bridges the gap between health and transportation.

SRTS utilizes the six E's to implement its program: Education, encouragement, engagement, evaluation, engineering, and equity.

On Oct. 4, SRTS is sponsoring iWalk (International Walk, Bike, and Roll), where students and families across Massachusetts will walk, bike and roll to school "to enjoy a safe, healthy and active lifestyle."