WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Transportation’s motto as carved into the building façade reads, “Dedicated to the comfort and safety of those who travel the highways of the Commonwealth of Virginia”; and,

WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Transportation is currently undertaking the construction of bicycling-friendly projects in VDOT construction districts; and,

WHEREAS, bicycling is an efficient form of transportation and offers independent mobility for many Virginians traveling between work, school, and home; and,

WHEREAS, Virginia has steadily climbed in national rankings for bicycle-friendliness, up to 7^th in the United States in the 2022 ranking by the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly State evaluation program that notes 14 Virginia Bicycle Friendly Communities inclusive of 2.8 million residents, 20,000 employees of Virginia Bicycle Friendly Businesses; and,

WHEREAS, Virginia’s economy benefits significantly from multi-use paths and trails such as the Virginia Capital Trail and the New River Trail; and,

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth recognizes the positive economic impact of cycling events and infrastructure and acknowledges that Virginia’s Blue Ridge Region is designated a Silver-Level Ride Center by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), hosts an Ironman competition, and supports women’s and junior women’s professional cycling teams, VBR TWENTY24, who are training for the 2024 Summer Olympics; and,

WHEREAS, May is National Bike Month as established in 1956 to increase public awareness of the healthy benefits of bicycling and promote bicyclist safety; and, 

WHEREAS, May 20^th is National Bike to Work Day, and localities across Virginia encourage employees to use alternative forms of transportation to arrive at work through significant programming and events across the Commonwealth; 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize May 2022 as BIKE MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.