Madison Bike Week is Here!

With warm weather finally here, now is the perfect time to bring out your bike! June 1st-8th is Madison Bike Week, with many events and resources happening to celebrate and raise awareness around bicycle commuting. Looking for another way to get involved? The Clean Lakes Alliance’s 12th Annual Loop the Lake Bike Ride is on Saturday, June 15th. 

A Sustainable Commute

Not only is biking great for your health, it comes with environmental benefits, like being a carbon neutral way to get around! Bike commuting also has serious benefits to your wallet too. Check out this calculator to see how much you can save with your commute by biking or using public transit. Even if you just commute five miles to work and work in-person half of the days, you can save $20 a month by not driving! Additionally, biking is better for our community too, leading to reduced traffic congestion, and less noise pollution, roadkill, and airborne pollutants than cars.

Recreational Biking

Dane County has over 100 miles of shared-use bicycle trails that connect communities, parks and natural resource areas. There are a variety of trail types including paved, crushed limestone and mountain bike options. Popular trails such as the Capital City State Trail and the Southwest Commuter Trail serve tens of thousands of riders every month! See a map of all Dane County’s bike trails here, and keep in mind that a State Trail Pass is required for all people age 16 or older biking or in-line skating on state trails. 

Biking Resources

Dane County bike riders can enjoy a number of benefits, so take advantage of the resources below!

• Bicycle benefits: An incentive program that rewards cyclers at participating businesses. Cyclists purchase a $5 Bike Benefit sticker to put on their helmet, and present their sticker when they bike to a participating business for discounts, rewards, and more! Stickers are available to purchase at any participating business. Check out this interactive map to find participating businesses in Dane County.
• Madison BCycle Community Pass Program: Library card holders from the South Central Library System can check out one of the available Madison BCycle passes from any Madison Public Library location. The passes can be checked out for up to a week at a time and provide access to over 350 electric-assist bikes at more than 50 BCycle stations in and around Madison. Riders also have the option to check out a helmet as needed.
• RoundTrip: RoundTrip connects people who are looking for alternative transportation options to driving alone in the Madison area, including carpools, public transit, vanpools, and more. RoundTrip also helps bikers organize “bikepools” to find other individuals to commute with and serve as resources. Additionally, RoundTrip has an Emergency Ride Home (ERH) Program that gives alternative commuters a ride home from school or work in unexpected situations such as personal or family illness/crises, bicycle breakdowns during commutes, unscheduled overtime, etc. 
• Local organizations: Many municipalities have bicycle resource centers, such as Madison Bikes, Bike Fitchburg, and Sun Prairie Moves. Check out this interactive map to find bike repair stations and shops around Dane County.

Bicycling is one of the best ways to have a sustainable commute, move your body, connect with nature, and interact with your community. We hope to catch you on the trails this summer!

Isabella Lubotsky

Intern

Isabella is a graduate of UW-Madison passionate about exploring the intersections between sustainability and community engagement. She earned her degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science, with certificates in German and Public Policy. Isabella is excited to learn more about the role local government can play in empowering community stakeholders like residents, business owners, and others to make sustainable choices in their lives. 

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