BLACKSBURG – The Mayor of Blacksburg, Leslie Hager-Smith, announced the town’s participation in the National Bike Month and Bicycle Safety Month in May 2025, during the Blacksburg Town Council meeting April 22.
According to Hager-Smith, May 12-18 will be a week-long celebration of bicycling in Blacksburg, encouraging residents and visitors to join in the fun events planned and the sharing the of road safety initiative.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s official proclamation reads, “bicycling is an efficient form of transportation and offers independent mobility for many Virginians traveling between work, school, and home, and the use of bicycles for transportation benefits all residents of Virginia as it eases traffic congestion and produces no air pollution.”
Important national and state participation dates listed on the Virginia Department of Transportation website at www.vdot.virginia.gov are: National Ride a Bike Day was May 4, Bike & Roll to School Day is May 7 and Bike to Work Day is May 16.
Encouraging bicycle safety is also part of the month-long events that are held statewide. Motor vehicle drivers should take note of bicycle lanes and cyclists making turns at intersections, the National Highway Safety Administration states on their website at www.nhtsa.gov. Bikes and motorcycles are less visible, and it is everyone’s responsibility to watch out for others on the roads.
As an option to street cycling, many local trails like the Huckleberry Trail, the New River Trail, and mountain biking trails around Pandapas Pond offer local, scenic and mostly shaded rides through the mountains of the Blue Ridge.
A local organization called New River Valley Bicycle Association encourages the healthy and fun sport of bicycling with activities for all ages and abilities. Interested in joining the group? Each second Friday of the month, the organization participates in the “Pizza Roll”. As advertised on their website at www.nrvbike.com, interested bikers meet at Blacksburg Library, 6 p.m., for a casual five-mile ride, ending at Benny’s pizza restaurant. The next date for the Pizza Roll is May 13. Additional events and activities for all levels of bicyclists can be found on the NRVBike Facebook page.
