State News

Tampa Bicyclists Ride To Work To Raise Awareness About Safety

WUSF | By Ashley Lisenby

Published March 8, 2019 at 6:41 PM EST

Christine Acosta prepares to take a ride with other bicyclists from Hyde Park to downtown Tampa on Bike to Work Day, Friday, March 8.

Dozens of riders from across Tampa biked to work on Thursday to show that cycling in the Bay area is good for personal health and the environment.

WUSF's Ashley Lisenby reports on Tampa's Bike to Work Day.

Bicyclists rode downtown for a small rally with food and music from locations across the city, including Tampa Heights, Ybor City, The Channel District, and Hyde Park.

Riders begin their bike to work from Buddy Brew Coffee in Hyde Park.

Bike to Work has been an annual event in Tampa for years. This year, it's part of an initiative to get people out of their cars and using alternate modes of transportation.

The organization Tampa Bay Commuters encourages residents to take a pledge to ride public transit, carpool walk, and bike each month until June.

Bike to Work rally at Lykes Gaslight Park in downtown Tampa to raise awareness about bike safety and alternate modes of transportation.

A study of automotive accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists found that the Tampa Bay region - including Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater - ranks ninth in the country on a list ranking pedestrian deaths between 2008 and 2017.

Hillsborough County officials have committed to improving bike safety by adding more bike lanes.