Several San Francisco supervisors are scheduled to join hundreds of elementary school students, families and staff Thursday in the third annual Bike to School Day, according to the San Francisco Unified School District.
George Peabody Elementary School in the Richmond District will also receive an award for its commitment to biking, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Leah Shahum said.
Supervisors Eric Mar and David Chiu will ride to the school with a bike train, and Supervisor Jane Kim will join them for a school assembly to present the award, the school district said.
Shahum said the bicycle coalition is kicking off a campaign this year encouraging families to try making biking part of their routines between Bike to School Day on Thursday and Bike to Work Day in May.
Peabody is one of 15 schools that participate in the yearlong Safe Routes to School program, which includes education about biking and pedestrian safety.
The schools encourage walking and biking, and the bicycle coalition works with the schools’ parents and faculty to improve biking conditions nearby.
The majority of the students live within a mile of the participating schools, according to the coalition.
Shahum said the Safe Routes program is only in its second year in San Francisco, so it’s too soon to tell whether it has led to increased bicycling.
“Anecdotally I’m noticing a lot more families biking in the city,” she said. “I’m seeing a lot more kids biking with their parents, and people of all ages out on the streets riding.”
San Francisco Unified School District is also working to install bike racks at all the schools in the city, Shahum said.
The other supervisors participating in Bike to School Day are Supervisor Carmen Chu, who will ride to Sunset Elementary School; Supervisor John Avalos, who will ride to Monroe Elementary School; and Supervisor Scott Weiner, who will join students at Alvarado Elementary.
The schedule of events is as follows:
George Peabody Elementary School: Bikes depart at 8 a.m. from 12th Avenue and Lake Street. School assembly will be from 8:40 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.
Sunset Elementary School: Bikes depart at 8 a.m. from 28th Avenue and Lawton Street. School assembly will be from 8:40 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.
Ulloa Elementary School: Bikes arrive in the yard at 2650 42nd Ave. between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. School assembly will be from 9:30 a.m. to 9:40 a.m.
Alvarado Elementary: Bikes depart at 7:20 a.m. from 30th and Church streets. School assembly will be from 7:50 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Monroe Elementary School: Bikes will depart at 7:55 a.m. from Mission and Silver streets. School assembly will be from 8:25 a.m. to 8:35 a.m.
Janna Brancolini, Bay City News
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