Two dozen cyclists gathered in downtown Rockland Friday morning to celebrate Bike to Work Day. The riders say cycling is not just fun, it's an important step toward reducing the climate impacts of transportation.
Among the cyclists was Rockland City Councilor Sarah Austin, who says bicycles are part of the city's plan to develop climate solutions.
"It is 100% tied into a lot of the solutions we are looking at. It even affects things like zoning and parking density," Austin says. "If more people are biking, you need less places to put cars, you can put houses and businesses closer together, and reduce your overall carbon impact as a community."
Austin says Rockland is adding bike racks and bike lanes and other infrastructure to make the roads safer for cyclists.
In Portland, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and its partners organized another Bike to Work event, and more than 50 cyclists participated.