May 19, 2005

STATEMENT GIVEN AT BIKE TO WORK DAY PRESS CONFERENCE

Joseph Otis Minott, Esq., Executive Director, Clean Air Council:

"Good afternoon. My name is Joe Minott and I am the Executive Director of Clean Air Council. Clean Air Council is a non-profit, member-supported organization, dedicated to protecting everyone's right to breathe clean air. I want to thank the Bicycle Coalition for inviting us to participate in today's event. And I also want to thank Mayor Street for being such an avid supporter of bicycling in the City and for showing that dedication by being here today.

Biking to work benefits the quality of the air we breathe, our personal health, and the health of those around us. The Greater Philadelphia Area is in severe non-attainment of the federal standards for ground-level ozone, or smog. Single-occupancy vehicles are one of the largest sources, if not the largest source, of the pollutants that come together to form smog. By making the choice to bike to work, you are helping to reduce pollution that leads to increased cases of asthma, respiratory disease, and hospital visits- particularly amongst children and the elderly.

Biking to work eliminates cars from area roads, thus helping to alleviate congestion, and leads to a healthier lifestyle. And perhaps most importantly, with gasoline prices continuing to skyrocket, making use of alternative modes of transportation other than the single-occupancy vehicle allows you to keep your money in your wallet.

I want to take just one moment to recognize an important new initiative that SEPTA has embarked on to make our commutes even easier. By next year, SEPTA has made the commitment to equip all bus routes in the Greater Philadelphia Area with bike racks. As of today, sources tell me that just about 100% of SEPTA's suburban bus routes are equipped with bike racks and around 80% of SEPTA's city bus routes have racks.

Whether biking is your main way of getting to and from work, or you are a recreational cyclist that enjoys biking on the weekends, having the ability to combine a bike ride with riding the bus creates one more option for getting around. So, if you haven't already, I would encourage you to go over and practice using the SEPTA bike rack today.

Thank you again for coming out today. By making the choice to bike to work, you are single-handedly helping to make our city more livable. Thank you."