Novi Employees to Bike to Work Monday

—Submitted by the City of Novi

With the summer months fast approaching, biking is picking up speed as a great source of transportation and exercise. May has been designated National Bike Month by the League of American Bicyclists and the City of Novi will celebrate by encouraging city employees and community members to bike to work during National Bike to Work Week, May 14-18.

“Recognizing National Bike to Work Week and encouraging City of Novi employees to bike to work on Monday, May 14 is an easy win for us,” said Novi City Manager Clay Pearson. “We are supporting green initiatives, promoting active lifestyles, and generating employee engagement.”

Some important safety tips for sharing the road include:

• Yield to bicycles in a bicycle lane.

• Do not drive in a bicycle lane except when making a turn.

• Do not park in a bicycle lane.

• If parked at a curb, look before opening a car door. You may be in the path of, and could hit, a bicyclist, pedestrian or other car.

• Look carefully for bicycles: scan intersections before entering or turning and yield to bicycles as you would for any vehicle.

• Pass a bicycle the same way you would a car, or any other vehicle, allowing at least three feet of space.

• Motorists must stop for bicyclists crossing in a crosswalk. There is a crosswalk at the intersection of any two streets, whether painted or not. Bicyclists must dismount if using a crosswalk to cross the street.

• Obey all traffic laws when riding in the street.

• In some downtown business districts, bicycling on sidewalks is prohibited; walk with your bike.

• Bicyclists have the choice to ride on the roadway, on the shoulder of a road, in a bike lane, or on a sidewalk (except where prohibited).

• Bicyclists riding on a sidewalk or crossing in a crosswalk are granted all the rights and responsibilities of a pedestrian.

• Yield to pedestrians on sidewalks and in crosswalks. Use an audible signal to warn pedestrians before passing, such as “on your left.”

The City of Novi is a long-time proponent of promoting an active community. The city is a five-time recipient of the Promoting Active Communities Gold Award from the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and adopted the Non-Motorized Master Plan in February 2011. Since adoption, over 11,500 feet (more than two miles) of new sidewalk and pathway have been constructed with more planned for completion this summer.

Additional upcoming biking opportunities include the on Monday, May 28. Families are invited to decorate their bikes and meet at the Holly Hill Plaza, located on Ten Mile Road, west of Haggerty Road, at 9:30 a.m. to participate in the parade. The first-ever Bike Rodeo will be held on Friday, June 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the . The free Bike Rodeo will feature interactive stations, safety instructions and goodie bags. For the more adventurous rider, a mountain bike sprint relay will be held at on Saturday, July 28.

To learn more about bike safety and the Non-Motorized Master Plan, including an engaging video highlighting bike safety, visit cityofnovi.org.