#BikemoreSolo: Ride to a local bike friendly business!

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To end Bike Month, we’re partnering with Bike Party to support the businesses that support us. This week’s challenge is to go on a ride to a local business!

We know that bikes benefit local businesses in tons of ways. Having bike friendly streets, like protected bike lanes, can increase local business along those routes, and that increasingly employees want to work at places that are accessible by bike. And people who bike or walk are more likely to stop in at a local shop on their way home than if they were driving.

“Protected bike lanes can be part of street redesigns that greatly boost retail performance. After the construction of a protected bike lane on 9th Avenue, local businesses saw a 49 percent increase in retail sales. On other streets in the borough, the average was only 3 percent.” — NYC DOT, 2012  - Measuring the Street, via PeopleForBikes

Read more about how bikes improve business in The Complete Business Case for Converting Street Parking Into Bike Lanes from CityLab.

And there are countless ways that local businesses support us - from hosting bike events, to advocating for bike friendly streets in their neighborhoods, to sponsoring events. Now more than ever we want to show our love to our local businesses.

Here are some local businesses that have hosted Baltimore Bike Party or supported Bikemore for ideas for where to ride:

We’d love to hear about other bike friendly businesses! Do they have great bike parking? Do they support neighborhood advocacy to make their neighborhood a safer place to ride? Do they support their employees who ride to work? Post a photo of your ride on social media and share why they are your favorite bike friendly business!

How to Vote by Mail in Baltimore

Voting local is the single most important thing you can do to make Baltimore a more livable city. 

Due to COVID-19 this year’s primary election is now on June 2nd and is vote by mail. With the added complications, it’s even more important to get out the vote, and tell your friends!

Contact us with questions or concerns: info@bikemore.net

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Volunteer!

Field organizing for political campaigns has to be completely reinvented due to COVID-19. Since campaigns can’t reach voters at their doorsteps, they have had to pivot to organizing primarily by phone and text. We are helping organize volunteers to make calls and texts for our endorsed candidates, and we need your help. Just a few hours of volunteering a week can reach thousands of potential supporters.

Sign up to volunteer to help Brandon Scott’s campaign.

Spread the Word!

Make a personal ask to your friends to help elect progressive leaders - share with them how to vote or who you’re voting for. Share our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts.

Or use the images below as headers on Facebook or Twitter to help spread the word!

Weekly Update: Slow Streets, WYPR interview, and more!

WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR

  • #IBikeIVote2020: Our meet and greet last week with Brandon Scott, our endorsed candidate for mayor, had 50 participants and 1,000 viewers on Facebook Live. Watch it here.

    This election will be won by volunteers making phone calls and texting. Click here to volunteer!

  • Slow Streets: Baltimore City Council will vote on a Slow Streets bill tonight. The bill, introduced by Council President Scott, will mandate 25 miles of Slow Streets be immediately implemented across all 14 council districts with prioritization through an equity lens.

    Our Executive Director Liz Cornish was on WYPR talking about the role of transportation during the epidemic. Listen here.

  • Delivering Food by Bike: 30+ volunteers have made 200+ deliveries of food by bike through our partnership with Civic Works!

VIRTUAL EVENTS

BIKE MONTH | #BIKEMORESOLO

  • May is Bike Month! Join us social distancing cycling group on Strava, tag us with #bikemoresolo on your rides, and complete our weekly bike challenges!

  • Weekly bike challenge: Go on a ride that creates an interesting shape on the map! Check out WallyGPX for inspiration.

WHAT WE'RE READING, WATCHING + LISTENING TO

TRANSIT + BIKE SHOP STATUS

  • Bike Shops: Bike shops are open. Call your shop for specifics. Baltimore Bicycle Works on Falls Road is still open during the Falls Road construction. The shop is easily accesses by bike and foot from both directions, and accessed by car only from the south on Falls Rd.

  • Scooters: Lime has redeployed scooters in Baltimore. Spin scooters are free for all healthcare workers, and Jump is offering free rides to all essential business workers. For Spin, sign up here. For Jump, ask your HR rep for a code or ask them to fill out this form.

  • Transit: Click here for the latest MTA status.

Weekly Update: Meet and Greet with Brandon Scott, Volunteer calls, and More!

Mural by Ernest Shaw

Mural by Ernest Shaw

TRANSIT + BIKE SHOP STATUS

  • Bike Shops: Bike shops are open. Call your shop for specifics. Baltimore Bicycle Works on Falls Road is still open during the Falls Road construction. The shop is easily accesses by bike and foot from both directions, and accessed by car only from the south on Falls Rd.

  • Scooters: Lime has redeployed scooters in Baltimore. Spin scooters are free for all healthcare workers, and Jump is offering free rides to all essential business workers. For Spin, sign up here. For Jump, ask your HR rep for a code or ask them to fill out this form.

  • Transit: Click here for the latest MTA status.

WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR

  • #IBikeIVote2020: Help get our endorsed candidates elected!
    Sign up to volunteer to phone bank for Brandon Scott or Bill Henry. 

  • Slow Streets: Click here for our map of the Slow Streets Pilot Program. The Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance and neighborhood leaders across Baltimore City have joined our call for expansion of Slow Streets as a public health intervention during COVID-19.

  • Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott will introduce legislation tonight to formalize a Slow Streets program in Baltimore City, requiring Slow Streets in each council district.

  • Falls Road from Chestnut Ave to Maryland Ave is closed to cars for DPW work until Summer of 2021. We have been told the Jones Falls Trail will remain open.

  • Delivering Food by Bike: Bikemore has partnered with Civic Works to add capacity to their food delivery program by organizing volunteers to deliver food by bike. Sign up to volunteer this week!

VIRTUAL EVENTS

  • Bikemore Meet and Greet with Brandon Scott [Date change]
    Wednesday, May 13th, 7:00pm-8:00pm | Register to attend 

BIKE MONTH | #BIKEMORESOLO

  • May is Bike Month! Join us social distancing cycling group on Strava, tag us with #bikemoresolo on your rides, and complete our weekly bike challenges!

  • Weekly bike challenge: Ride an existing section or explore a planned section of the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network. Click here for detailed maps and more about the project.  

WHAT WE'RE READING, WATCHING + LISTENING TO

How we're increasing food access with bikes

Some of our volunteers and staff at Civic Works’ Real Food Farm

For the past two weeks, Bikemore has been partnering with Civic Works to support them in delivering fresh produce and meals to older Baltimoreans around the city. In the face of COVID-19, older folks are facing increased restrictions on mobility as people who are at higher risk for severe illness. We know that transportation is a key component of food access. 

And we know bicycles are integral to our city. To increase the Civic Works’ capacity to reach more clients, Bikemore set out to build a volunteer force, and our Bikemore community has gone beyond expectations. Since we began bike deliveries, thirty cyclists have delivered food on their bike. The diversity of riders is astonishing: some come on their road bike and a backpack, some with panniers and crates, some with a bike trailer, and some with their e-bike to assist them in riding longer distances. 

Civic Works is continuing to grow their program so they can reach more people, and we want to continue supporting them. If you’re interested in joining this effort by doing bike deliveries, sign up for a volunteer orientation below. 

ALL YOU NEED TO VOLUNTEER: 

  • A working bike that you feel comfortable riding

  • Some sort of equipment to carry food (at least 5-10 lbs) while you bike

  • A cell phone to communicate Bikemore/Civic Works staff and for GPS

  • To feel comfortable riding alone without support - you'll be responsible for any repairs you may need along the way

  • Availability on either Thursday and/or Friday anytime between 9am-3pm

  • Be healthy; not showing any symptoms of illness

  • Must be 18 years or older

Sign up

Fill out this form to sign up for a virtual volunteer orientation on May 11th or 12th.

Our work is wholly supported by our donors. Help us make Baltimore a better place to ride a bicycle.