PennDOT Announces New Bike Route Mapping Tool To Assist Riders

PennDOT Announces New Bike Route Mapping Tool To Assist Riders

5/16/2016-KING OF PRUSSIA

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Department of Health (DOH)
and
the Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) joined other state and local
officials
today in kicking off Bike to Work Week May 16 – 20 by announcing the launch
of
a new interactive mapping tool for BicyclePA routes.

"With the many benefits of bicycling, I encourage Pennsylvanians to bike to

work wherever possible," said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards.
"Interest
in biking continues to grow across Pennsylvania as more people recognize
the
benefits of incorporating active transportation, biking and walking into
their
lives. Our message today is that PennDOT and the commonwealth are committed
to
being truly multimodal."

The Bike Route Map uses layers to provide the user with detailed bike
routes,
traffic volumes and speed limits and includes DCNR Trails, State Parks and
State Forests. Find the new interactive Bike Route Map on the "Ride A Bike"

page under "Travel In PA" at www.penndot.gov.

In support of Governor Tom Wolf's proclamation commemorating May 16-20 as
Bike
to Work Week, representatives from state agencies, local government and the

legislature took part in an executive bike ride around Harrisburg that
culminated on the Capitol steps.

The importance of ensuring continuing development of safe options for
riders
was noted by officials.

"The Department of Labor & Industry makes worker safety a priority every
day
and a safe commute is part of that," said L&I Deputy Secretary for
Administration Chris Dwyer. "By providing safe and expansive bike trails,
workers are able to get to and from work safely while getting some terrific

exercise."

"I encourage you to make the choice to commute to work by bike," DOH
Secretary
Dr. Karen Murphy added. "It can boost your physical wellbeing and provide
an
opportunity to de-stress and enjoy some fresh air."

Pennsylvania's robust natural resources were noted as a prime opportunity
for
cycling.

"Today's event may be promoting the health and environmental benefits of
biking
to work, but when the weekend or day off rolls around, I'm inviting all
Pennsylvanians to get on a bike and see it as their ticket to outdoor
adventure
and natural beauty all across our state," said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams
Dunn.
"We are blessed with more than 11,000 miles of trails, 121 state parks and
more
than 2.2 million acres of state forestland, all offering unlimited biking
terrain and opportunities. Biking is one of the best activities to see what
our
very special outdoor places have to offer."

Dunn noted that DCNR is a partner in Get Outdoors PA, which offers a
calendar
of guided outings and includes tech support and riding tips to encourage
riders
to strike out on bikes regardless of location.

"With the passage of Act 89 of 2013, Pennsylvania has become a leader in
transportation and infrastructure funding, including a portion allocated
for
multimodal projects, said Rep. Madeleine Dean. "We should continue to
encourage
multimodal options, including bikes, to promote energy efficient and
eco-friendly means of transportation and strive to increase Pennsylvanian's

quality of life by creating healthy, more livable, forward-thinking
communities."

With a focus on sharing the road, Rep. David Maloney said, "As the author
of
House Bill 150, share the road awareness legislation, there is no better
time
to focus on being aware of what and who else is on the road than during
Bike to
Work Week. This is not just about bicycles, but also being aware of
joggers,
horse and buggies and motorcyclists. Too many people are injured or killed
on
our roads due to lack of awareness and those incidents are completely
avoidable."

PennDOT encourages riders to wear reflective clothing in order to be more
visible to drivers. For more information on bicycle safety, visit
www.JustDrivePA.com. A series of bicycle-safety videos covering state
bicycle
laws and safety measures is viewable on the department's YouTube channel,
www.youtube.com/pennsylvaniaDOT.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jan Huzvar, PennDOT, 717-783-8800
Terry Brady, DCNR, 717-705-2225
Yasmine Coleman, Dept. of Health, 717-787-1783
Sara Goulet, Dept. of Labor & Industry, 717-783-6024


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