ALBANY - National ‘Bike to Work Week’ kicked off in New York, Monday and continues through May 21.  State Senator Martin Malavé Dilan (D-Brooklyn) is encouraging commuters across the state to ride their bicycles to work.

“A surprising number of our state’s commuters live very close to their place of work, but get there in a car or bus. I hope National Bike to Work Week goes a long way to encourage more people to make a change and take up a greener commute,” said Senator Dilan, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, more than half the U.S. population lives within five miles of the workplace – an ideal distance for commuting via bike. But lack of awareness and educational outreach prevents many people from cycling to work.

As part of National Bike to Work Week there will be a series of events from Albany to New York City to Huntington celebrating biking to work and reminding New Yorkers that it can help reduce traffic and carbon emissions.

In honor of National Bike to Work Day on May 21, New York City government officials and transportation advocates will host events at several “pit stops” in all five boroughs, including a free breakfast in Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Transportation Alternatives, which advocates on behalf of cyclists in New York City, estimates that every day 236,000 New Yorkers ride a bicycle, more than double the number who rode just five years ago.