This Thursday morning, I'll be hopping on my bike and heading to work at City Hall to kick off "Bike to Work Day." And the City of Sacramento will be out in force at the Capitol BikeFest at the West Steps of the Capitol from 11 to 1 p.m. too.

To promote bike commuting, the city is offering bike racks to local businesses. The bike racks will be installed in the City right-of-way and become City property, owned and maintained by the Department of Transportation.

Funds for the racks ares coming from the Measure A (half-cent sales tax) Bikeway Fund and  from downtown Transportation System Management funds that are earmarked for projects that decrease automotive trips.

Later in the year, the city will launch the second phase of its program to promote bike commuting. The Transportation department  will be investing $10,000 from Measure A to leverage $40,000 in grants from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District bike parking rebate program, which will mean $50,000 for the program. Other business organizations are being approached to participate in cost-sharing as well.

Businesses interested in seeing if they qualify for a free bike rack can call my office, or visit the City’s webpage at www.sacpark.org.

Note: Along with other City participants, DOT’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordinator Ed Cox will ride his high wheel bicycle in a bicycle ride Thursday morning from the Delta to the Capitol. The ride has been organized by Assemblymember Tom Torlakson’s office. Bicyclists expect to be riding over the Tower Bridge around 8:30 a.m.. Joining the riders is Martin Krieg, who recently set off on a cross-country trip pedaling a rare backwards HiWheel bicycle. Read more about Martin at http://2009hibustour.blogspot.com/.