Alexandria's Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee has launched a mentorship program to assist residents who are biking to work for the first time this summer due to the Metro rail shutdown.
Metro rail will not serve the six Alexandria-area stations from May 25 through Sept. 8 to allow for major platform reconstruction at the stations.
“Biking to work can seem intimidating, but there are lots of easy, low stress and low traffic routes between Alexandria, Arlington, and DC,” said Josephine Liu, the program’s coordinator, and a regular bike commuter between Alexandria and the District.
Participants can be matched with a mentor who will help with their specific needs. Mentors can help with planning a stress-free route, riding safely and confidently in traffic, and showing up to the office looking neat after a bike commute.
Mentors can also ride along with mentees to ensure a successful commute.
Each bike mentor is an experienced rider who lives or works in Alexandria.
Several of the mentors are certified to teach bike safety classes by the League of American Bicyclists.
“We have a great group of mentors ready to help you meet your needs, whether you don’t know where to start or you need help figuring out just one part of bike commuting. Our mentors come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but each one is experienced in teaching bicycling in a way that will make you feel comfortable,” Liu said.
In addition to assisting individuals wishing to bike commute, the program can also assist those interested in riding recreationally or using their bike to run errands.
Individuals wishing to be matched with a mentor should visit http://bit.ly/BPACmentoring.
For additional information, contact Josephine Liu at BPACmentoring@gmail.com.
The Alexandria Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee is a volunteer organization that promotes walking, biking, and other active transportation.
