Bike/Walk to Work

Since 2003 RPC has worked with area businesses, municipalities, UNH, SRPC, and Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders (SABR) to organize regional events for National Bike/Walk to Work Day. Held annually on the third Friday of May, Bike/Walk to Work Day is designed to create a fun occasion for commuter to try an alternative means of getting to work. Annual events in the Seacoast include a series of 12-14 free bike/ped commuter breakfasts around the region, a week-long Corporate Commuter Challenge where companies compete to have the most employees walk or bicycle during the week; and various rides, safety and maintenance clinics and speakers; and an awards celebration at Portsmouth Brewery on Friday night. In 2015 over 500 commuters walked or bicycled to one of the breakfast events; and the Corporate Commuter Challenges engaged 25 companies and avoided 4354 auto miles and 3,483 lbs of CO₂. Between 2000 and 2013 the City of Portsmouth actually had one of the largest increases in bicycle commuting in the country, increasing 536% between 2000 and 2013 (U.S. Census, League of American Bicyclists)