Bike The Drive
Encyclopedia
Bike The Drive is a recreational, non-competitive bicycle ride held each year in Chicago
, in which Lake Shore Drive
is cleared of motor vehicle traffic and opened exclusively to bicyclists for several hours beginning at dawn. The event benefits bicycling advocacy work in the region by the Active Transportation Alliance, formerly known as the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. Since 2004, Bike The Drive has been held on the Sunday of Memorial Day
weekend. In 2006, an estimated 20,000 riders participated in the event.
In 2010 it was sponsored by MB Financial Bank. It was previously sponsored by Bank of America
.
, going to the South and North extremes, and then returning to the starting point. Rest areas with refreshments and repair services are located at the north and south ends of the route, as well as the starting point. In addition, volunteers riding with the participants and stationed along the route offer assistance to riders. A festival in Grant Park follows the event, and includes music, food, cycling-related activities, and vendors and exhibitors.
The event is organized in coordination with the City of Chicago, its agencies and departments, where Mayor Richard M. Daley
, is a supporter of cycling.http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/136.html
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, in which Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive is a mostly freeway-standard expressway running parallel with and alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan through Chicago, Illinois, USA. Except for the portion north of Foster Avenue , Lake Shore Drive is designated as part of U.S...
is cleared of motor vehicle traffic and opened exclusively to bicyclists for several hours beginning at dawn. The event benefits bicycling advocacy work in the region by the Active Transportation Alliance, formerly known as the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. Since 2004, Bike The Drive has been held on the Sunday of Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend. In 2006, an estimated 20,000 riders participated in the event.
In 2010 it was sponsored by MB Financial Bank. It was previously sponsored by Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
.
Route
The route extends nearly the entire length of the famous roadway, from 57th Street on the South Side to Bryn Mawr Avenue on the North Side. The maximum route length is 30 miles, with riders beginning at Grant ParkGrant Park (Chicago)
Grant Park, with between the downtown Chicago Loop and Lake Michigan, offers many different attractions in its large open space. The park is generally flat. It is also crossed by large boulevards and even a bed of sunken railroad tracks...
, going to the South and North extremes, and then returning to the starting point. Rest areas with refreshments and repair services are located at the north and south ends of the route, as well as the starting point. In addition, volunteers riding with the participants and stationed along the route offer assistance to riders. A festival in Grant Park follows the event, and includes music, food, cycling-related activities, and vendors and exhibitors.
History
Bike The Drive was launched by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation in 2002 to raise funds for programs to expand the Chicago area's bicycle transportation network, promote bicycling as a mode of transportation, improve bicycling conditions and traffic safety, and provide bicyclists with a variety of resources and support.The event is organized in coordination with the City of Chicago, its agencies and departments, where Mayor Richard M. Daley
Richard M. Daley
Richard Michael Daley is a United States politician, member of the national and local Democratic Party, and former Mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He was elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. He was the longest serving Chicago mayor, surpassing the tenure of his...
, is a supporter of cycling.http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/136.html
Past Event Dates
- June 9, 2002
- June 15, 2003
- May 30, 2004
- May 29, 2005
- May 28, 2006
- May 27, 2007
- May 25, 2008
- May 24, 2009
- May 30, 2010