Over 300 riders took to the streets of Columbus this morning for a chilly-yet-sunny commute to work Downtown. Participating groups were led by cycling advocates from Yay Bikes!, CoGo, Friends of the Camp Chase Trail, Consider Biking, Transit Columbus, the Create Columbus Commission, MORPC and car2go.
Among the riders were Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and City Council President Andrew Ginther, who had several announcements to make upon arrival at Columbus Commons for the Bike to Work Day Breakfast.
“We are committed to making Columbus one of the best bike cities in the nation,” said Coleman. “We are proud to announce two new initiatives that will move us toward that goal.”
Initiative one is the launch of the new “Bug Your Bike” program that allows residents citywide to register their bikes to assist with theft recovery efforts. The program was implemented several years ago at Ohio State, and the new partnership will broaden the range and effectiveness of the program. Registration includes the installation of a free RFID chip that can be checked against a database when a bike is found though a participating local organization.
“The property rooms at each of the three partnering organizations receive approximately 1,000 bicycles combined per year,” said Columbus Chief of Police Kim Jacobs. “The Bug your Bike Program increases the likelihood that lost or stolen property will be returned to its rightful owner.”
Initiative two is the announcement that a safe streets ordinance was recently submitted to Columbus City Council for consideration. The ordinance would establish a three foot rule for cars to provide safe distance when passing cyclists on the street. Larger vehicles like semis would be required to leave six feet of space when passing. The law mirrors similar rules in other cities around the country.
“As Council President, I am proud to join my Council colleagues and Mayor Coleman to raise awareness about bike safety on our streets,” said Ginther. “Columbus City Council will continue to develop policies that promote biking and other transportation options that protect our environment and help our residents lead healthy lives.”
For more info on bike registration, visit www.Columbus.gov/BugYourBike.