Bicyclists gathered early Friday morning in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square to celebrate National Bike to Work Day, before many of them departed on a group ride to work in Hartford.

West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor speaks to the crowd gathered for National Bike to Work Day. Courtesy photo

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About 30 riders joined Scott Franklin, chair of West Hartford’s Pedestrian & Bicycle Commission, to celebrate Bike to Work Day Friday morning.

Riders set off at 7:30 a.m. to bike from SPoT Coffee in Blue Back Square to the Old State House on Main Street in Hartford.

Before they departed, Mayor Shari Cantor addressed the group – which also included Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Rob Klee, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner James Redeker, and West Hartford Director of Social Services and Leisure Services Helen Rubino-Turco. Representatives from CTrides also attended the event.

National Bike to Work Day takes place each year on the third Friday in May, which is National Bike Month. It promotes the bicycle as a health and safe way to travel to and from work.

According the the League of American Bicyclists, “40 percent of all trips in the U.S. are less than two miles, making bicycling a feasible and fun way to get to work. With increased interest in healthy, sustainable and economic transportation options, it’s not surprising that, from 2000 to 2013, the number of bicycle commuters in the U.S. grew by more than 62 percent.”

Four years ago, West Hartford received a Bronze designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community. For more information, visit https://bikeleague.org/bikemonth and http://CTrides.com.

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Scott Franklin at the National Bike to Work Day celebration. Courtesy photo

DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee speaks to National Bike to Work Day participants in Blue Back Square. Courtesy photo

West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor speaks to the crowd gathered for National Bike to Work Day. Courtesy photo