Bike to Work Day stops to offer giveaways, food, beverages

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — (Press release) Bike to Work Day is coming up on May 17, and the event will give people the opportunity to ditch their cars for a day to celebrate biking as a clean, healthy and fun way to get around.

George Phillips, a county transportation planner who is helping coordinate Bike to Work Day in Prince William County, said the event is designed to get people thinking about alternative modes transportation. “Bike to Work is to get people to focus and look at the possibility of another way to get to work, to realize there are other options out there other than taking their cars.” 

Bike to Work Day, sponsored by the Washington Area Bicycle Association and Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments Commuter Connections program, is also designed to get people thinking about cycling possibilities in addition to cycling to work. “You can incorporate biking into your life, not just by biking to work, but riding a bike to school if you’re a kid, or riding to the store or riding recreationally for your health.” 

Phillips said biking helps ease traffic. “By reducing cars on the road, it helps with congestion.” 

In all, the idea is to get people riding bikes. “We just want people to get out there – to get on their bikes and ride more often.” 

Bike to Work Day will include pits stops throughout the county where there will be giveaways, food, beverages and the chance to win prizes.

In addition to Bike to Work day, May is National Bike Month and May 13 through 18 is Bike Week. Several bicycle events in Prince William County will lead up to Bike to Work Day.

Upcoming bike events:

A Commuter Bike Class is scheduled at the McCoart Government Center, at 1 County Complex Court in the Powell’s Creek conference room from 6 to 8 p.m. on May 2. Contact Rick Holt at [email protected] for more details.

A six-mile Donut Ride is scheduled on May 11 leaving from Duck Donuts, at 10286 Bristow Center Drive in Bristow, at 8 a.m. along the Linton Hall multiuse path to the Starbucks at Atlas Walk in Gainesville and returning to Duck Donuts by approximately 10 a.m. Contact Rick Holt at [email protected] for more details. 

The Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Regional Enthusiast, or MORE, group will be hosting a mountain bike ride at Conway Robinson Park, off U.S. 29 in Gainesville, at 6:30 p.m. on May 14. MORE can be reached at  [email protected].

A Tour of Schools 11-mile bike ride is scheduled in Manassas on May 16th starting at 6:30 p.m. from the Harris Pavilion at Center & West Streets in downtown Manassas. Contact Allen Muchnick at [email protected] for more details.

Pit stops and times: 

Pit Stop Name: Dumfries
Location: Dumfries Town Hall – Community Center
Address: 17755 Main Street, Dumfries
Pit Stop Time: 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Contact: Danny Cosner, [email protected], 703-221-1921

Pit Stop Name: Haymarket

Location: Haymarket Bicycles

Address: 4414 Costello Way, Haymarket
Pit Stop Time: 6 to 9:30 a.m.
Contact: Jared Neiter, [email protected], 703-754–1911

Pit Stop Name: Manassas-George Mason
Location: Southwest corner of the Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center
Address: 9100 Freedom Center Blvd.
Pit Stop Time: 6:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Contact: Rick Holt, [email protected], 703-677-7934

Pit Stop Name: Manassas-Kelly Leadership Center
Location: Kelly Leadership Center Parking lot
Address: 14715 Bristow Rd, Manassas at the intersection of Rt. 234 and bike trail
Pit Stop Time: 6 to 9:30 a.m.
Contact: Beth Tomanek, [email protected], (703) 791-8042

Pit Stop Name: Manassas Park
Location: Palisades at Manassas Park slightly south of Manassas Drive-Digital Drive
Address: 8100 Palisades Circle
Pit Stop Time: 6 to 9 a.m.
Contact: Kristine Bunting, [email protected], 571-719-6922

Pit Stop Name: Manassas VRE Pit Stop
Location: Manassas VRE Station, at the train depot side adjacent to track, near Battle Street
Address: 9431 West St., Manassas
Pit Stop Time: 6 to 9 a.m.
Contact: Melissa Williams, [email protected], 703-361-6599, ext. 101

Pit Stop Name: Woodbridge – Chinn
Location: Chinn Aquatics & Fitness Center Parking lot near the Prince William Parkway bike trail
Address: 13065 Chinn Park Drive
Pit Stop Time: 6 to 9 a.m.
Contact: Dan Pittman, [email protected], 703-730-1056

Pit Stop Name: Rippon Landing VRE
Location: Rippon Landing VRE station, parking area
Address: 15511 Farm Creek Dr. Woodbridge
Pit Stop Time: 6 to 9 a.m.
Contact: Contact: Holly Morello, [email protected], 703-580-6130

Pit Stop Name: Woodbridge VRE
Location: Woodbridge VRE Station
Address: 1040 Express Way
Pit Stop Time: 6 to 9 a.m.
Contact: Supervisor Frank Principi’s Office, [email protected], 703-792-4646 

Pit Stop Name: Woodbridge – Tackett’s Mill
Location: Tackett’s Mill Drive and Minnieville Road, Woodbridge
Pit Stop Time: 6:30 to 8:30 a.m.
Contact: Supervisor Ruth Anderson’s office, Kelsey Dott, [email protected], 703-792-4136