Calling All Commuters: Bike to Work Day Rolls in to Redmond on Friday

Cascade Bicycle Club's annual Bike to Work Day is just a few days away, and the Greater Redmond Transportation Management Association (GRTMA) is gearing up for another big turnout.

GRTMA will host two commuter stations from 6 to 9 a.m. Friday: one on the between Northeast 116th and 124th streets and one on the 520 bike trail near Northeast 51st Street.

Cindi Gyselinck, GRTMA's commuter services coordinator, said each station will have free giveaways, water and other refreshments, and bicycle support services for anyone who needs a quick repair or tune-up.

Last year about 1,200 people rolled through the two stations, Gyselinck said.

“We’re pretty busy — there’s a lot of people,” she said.

Edmonds resident Greg Todd has commuted 20 miles to his job at in Redmond for the past three years and will be one of the hundreds passing through the Sammamish River Trail station on Friday morning.

For Todd, the benefits of being a bicycle commuter are numerous: it helps the environment, it's a way to stay active, and it's much less stressful than sitting in rush-hour traffic, he said.

“I really advocate people give it a try," Todd said. "It's not real easy, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes."