Friday Bike to Work Day: Will You Make the Ride?

For most of us, slogging through traffic is just part of the work-week routine. But if you live close enough to consider biking, Friday is your day. And in Long Beach, it is much easier than it is in other cities.

May 18 is National Bike to Work Day, a push that encourages biking as a way to save time, money and the environment. The day is part of a month-wide celebration, Bike to Work Month.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, California is the 20th most bicycle-friendly state in the U.S. Washington State is No. 1.

But Long Beach has been upgraded to a “Silver Bicycle Friendly City” by the League of American Bicyclists. This award puts the City of Long Beach in a select group of cities across the nation; only five other cities were upgraded from Bronze to Silver, and only 39 cities have Silver status.

The U.S. Census says only 1 percent of L.A. commuters are bicyclists. In the Torrance area, that number is .3 percent, while Long Beach comes in a 1.1 percent.

Biking to work in this area isn't the easiest feat, but it's possible in some parts. The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (which celebrated Bike to Work Day on Thursday) offers these tips for planning your route and what to wear for the ride.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in February. It calls for about $330 million to be spent over 20 years to build new bikeways and support facilities and to pay for educational programs that encourage cycling.

Do you bike to work? Share your experience in the comments section below.