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More than 31,000 people participated in Wednesday’s Bike to Work Day in Denver area

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DENVER — Across the Denver metro area, thousands of people opted to trade four wheels for two and celebrate Bike to Work Day on Wednesday.

In total, 31,190 people rode 548,944 miles, the city reported, which is more than a trip to the moon and back. The average one-way commute was 8.8 miles long.

Bike to Work Day, organized by Denver Regional Council of Governments’s (DRCOG) Way to Go program, was created to introduce people to biking as a commute alternative. After last year’s event, a survey found that 51 percent of first-time Bike to Work Day riders said they felt motivated to use the handlebars instead of a steering wheel to get to work more often.

“Bike to Work Day is all about encouraging people to try bike commuting and to raise awareness of the many benefits biking has,” said Douglas W. Rex, executive director DRCOG. “We love seeing the excitement and energy on the big day. We hope people realize how easy it is, appreciate the benefits and continue to choose bike commuting more often.”

DRCOG is a planning organization where local governments collaborate to assess transportation, personal mobility, regional growth and aging/disability resources.

Biking is not only a healthier way to get to work — people burned 34.1 million calories during the 2019 event — but it can be faster, more eco-friendly and could help reduce traffic congestion.