If you live or work in Morris, Sussex or Warren counties, or the suburban areas of Essex, Passaic and Union counties, Avenues in Motion (formally TransOptions), is your Transportation Management Association (TMA). Avenues in Motion delivers programs and services that improve mobility, the environment and overall quality of life in northwestern New Jersey. Avenues in Motion works closely with students, school districts and community groups within their service area on a variety of free, fun, and educational programs and projects. Whether it is coordinating special events such as the Walking School Bus or Bike-to-School Day, presenting in-class bicycle and pedestrian safety programs or involving students in walkability studies, Avenues in Motion’s staff provides the education and encouragement needed to foster more livable and safer communities.
Get your bikes and scooters ready! Gearing up for Bike Month this May, Avenues in Motion is partnering with local communities and schools to host Bike Rodeos and Kids Learn to Ride classes to help kids stay active and ride ready!
During community Bike Rodeos, kids and their families are challenged to ride through safety stations and obstacles courses to practice road safety while having fun! More specifically, participants will practice hand signaling, how to safely navigate an intersection, scanning for cars, and riding on the sidewalk past driveways and parked cars. Bike and helmets are also checked for proper fit and working condition. Any kid without a helmet will be provided one for free! Kids can also show off their creativity by decorating their bikes and helmets with streamers, rhinestones, stickers, and reflective tape!
Avenues in Motion will be kicking off Bike Month celebrations at Unity Charter School’s Bike Swap event and partnering with Roxbury Scouts and West Essex YMCA on additional rodeos. Wrapping up Bike Month, Central Avenue School (Madison) and AIM will hold a school-wide Rodeo for all their students that will culminate with a police escorted group ride through town on Main Street!
Avenues in Motion also hosts many Learn to Ride classes where certified instructors remove the bike’s pedals and teach balance and control above all else. Participants learn the basics of starting, stopping, steering, proper bike/helmet fit and adjustment. Each child is given the tools they need to build confidence on two wheels!
To learn more about Bike Rodeos or the many other free programs offered by Avenues in Motion, be sure to visit their website at https://avenuesinmotion.org/
If you don’t live or work in Morris, Sussex or Warren counties, or the suburban areas of Essex, Passaic and Union counties don’t worry, there is a TMA in your area ready and willing to help you make your community safer for walking and bicycling. To find your TMA, visit https://www.saferoutesnj.org/find-your-srts-regional-coordinator/
