Presidio Celebrates Bike to Work Day

Presidio of San Francisco (May 11, 2009) — For the 10th consecutive year, hundreds of people who work at the Presidio will put aside their car keys in favor of a helmet and bicycle as they celebrate Bike to Work Day this Thursday, May 14. Riders this year will be eligible to win one of two new bicycles being given away courtesy of Sports Basement and Honest Tea.

“Encouraging and facilitating biking at the Presidio furthers our aim of reducing the number of cars here,” says Chris Weeks, a transportation and operations specialist with the Presidio Trust. Participants can enter a drawing for the bikes at the Presidio Trust’s Energizer Station at Lincoln and Halleck in the Presidio between 6:30 and 9:30 am. Refreshments will be provided and mechanics from Sports Basement will be offering free, quick bike tune-ups. Riders who sign-in at the station will also enjoy a free BBQ lunch and have a chance to win other prizes including a round of golf at the Presidio Golf Course and passes to the Exploratorium.

Last year, more than 400 people took part in the Presidio’s Bike to Work Day. The Exploratorium took top honors for having the most employees (35) riding last year.

Weeks himself is among the estimated eight percent of Presidio workers who bike to work on a given day. He says he gave up his SUV for an HPUV, “human powered utility vehicle.” Riding his bike to work each day, Weeks says he feels like he is “more of a neutral part of the environment here than when I am in a car. I can hear the birds, feel the fog, wind, sun and smell the flowers and trees.”

The Trust is in the midst of implementing the Presidio Trails and Bikeways Master Plan. Once complete, more than 24 miles of major trails and 19 miles of in-road bike lanes will welcome visitors to explore the Presidio’s diverse and scenic landscapes. In September, the Presidio was again named a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists and was given the group’s silver designation.

Bicycling facts and figures:

• 40% of all trips in the U.S. are made within two miles of the home
• 50% of the working population commutes five miles or less to work

By biking to work, the average commuter will in one year:

• Save $1,825 in auto-related costs
• Reduce carbon emissions by 128 pounds
• Save 145 gallons of gasoline
• Avoid 50 hours of time spent stuck in traffic
• Burn 90,000 calories
• Reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by 50%
• Enjoy 14% fewer health insurance claims

(Numbers based on June 2006 gas prices and a 10 mile round trip commute.)

The Presidio Trust was established by the United States Congress in 1996 to oversee the Presidio of San Francisco, an urban national park located at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. The 1,500-acre site contains expansive open space and spectacular views, a 300-acre historic forest, and rare and endangered plants and wildlife. It also comprises nearly 6 million square feet of buildings, including 469 historic structures that contribute to its status as a National Historic Landmark District.