Bike Newport invites all to attend The Sakonnet Coastal Bike & Stroll, a rare opportunity to bike, walk or run along scenic Park Ave and The Hummocks in Portsmouth without any cars on the road. Families, children, and individuals of all ages and abilities are urged to enjoy this 2-mile expanse of the coastal road transformed into a safe and enjoyable route for non-motorized transportation.
Bike Newport and the Island Park Preservation Society are hosting this free community event to celebrate public spaces and demonstrate the strong public interest in having safe and connected infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians that is separated from cars. Chris Barker, Director of Development at Bike Newport and co-coordinator of the event, shared: “We welcome hundreds of delighted riders each year for our car-free ride on Newport’s Ocean Drive, and we’re eager to bring this joy-filled community experience to Island Park in Portsmouth”.
The event will occur on September 9th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. The car-free route has no prescribed starting or ending point, allowing everyone to join where they meet. The route encompasses Park Ave from just after Mason Ave, through to the railroad overpass at Anthony Rd (entrance to Common Fence Point), and connecting directly with the separated bike lane crossing the Sakonnet River Bridge from Tiverton.
Participants are asked to kindly register for free on Eventbrite to attend the Sakonnet Coastal Bike & Stroll. Donations are welcome to support the event, Bike Newport’s bike safety education programs, and advocacy for more bike-friendly infrastructure on Aquidneck Island.
For those interested in volunteering, becoming a sponsor for the event, or further inquiries before the event, please get in touch with chris@bikenewportri.org. The event is supported by a Rhode Island Streets Transformation Project grant from the RI Department of Health (RIDOH), Grow Smart RI, and Providence Streets Coalition. Bike Newport is grateful to Berkshire Bank, Ocean State Air Solutions, and Sunset Cove for sponsoring the event.
“These temporary demonstration projects are a great way for communities to experiment with ideas for improving pedestrian, bike, and accessible infrastructure improvements…”, said John Flaherty, Deputy Director, Grow Smart RI.
The Sakonnet Coastal Bike & Stroll promises to be a memorable and inclusive community event, showcasing the region’s beauty and the benefits of car-free routes. Join us in celebrating public space and a bike and pedestrian-friendly environment on September 9th.