(JUNEAU, Alaska) – Alaska Gov. Bill Walker has proclaimed the month of May as Bike Month; May 4, 2016, as Bike to School Day; and May 16-20, 2016, as Bike to Work Week.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities will join organizations throughout the state during May to support Bike Month events. Biking is an affordable, healthy form of transportation and a great way to get the 30-60 minutes of daily activity recommended for optimum health.

According to a 2016 Benchmarking Report from Alliance for Biking and Walking, in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alaska ranks sixth in the nation for percentage of adults who bike to work. In addition, Alaska and Vermont tied for the lowest rate of bicycle and pedestrian fatalities in the nation.

Bicyclists are required to follow the “rules of the road” by riding on the right side of the road, signaling turns, and stopping at stop signs and stop signals.[xyz-ihs snippet=”adsense-body-ad”]

Motorists can increase bike safety by: allowing a safe distance between their vehicle and cyclists when passing, not cutting off cyclists when making a turn, and being particularly careful when transitioning through an intersection. Almost half of all vehicle-cyclist collisions occur at intersections.

To view Gov. Walker’s proclamation, visit: gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2016/04/bike-month-2/

Each year, the national nonprofit League of American Bicyclists declares May as National Bike Month and helps organize Bike to Work events. This year marks the fifth annual National Bike to School Day, organized in conjunction with the National Center for Safe Routes to School.

Forty-one schools in Alaska are participating in the national bike to school event. Learn more about participating schools at walkbiketoschool.org.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 249 airports, 11 ferries serving 35 communities, 5,619 miles of highway and 720 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adversal-468×60″]

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