Hugo and Kira Jule, Charlotte Courtney,
Allegra and Kristin Wilson (photo by Robert Ford)
A “Celebration of the Sharrows” community bike ride event was held Saturday, Aug. 29 to draw attention to recent changes made to encourage bicycling in Saugerties.
“We’re hoping to get the word out that bicycling can be a fun way to exercise and to get around the community,” said Carl Muller of the Saugerties Transportation Advisory Council.
“We want to get the community out to see how beautiful Saugerties is, and bicycling is a terrific way to do it,” he added.
Leeanne Thornton, town councilwoman, said it’s “also important to get motorists to realize that they have to share the highway with bicyclists.”
The sharrows refer to street stencils on one of the community’s three bike routes depicting a bicycle and two arrows. Accompanying signage urges motorists to “Share the road.” It’s not quite a dedicated bike lane, but it’s a start.
The signs were erected and the sharrows painted by the Village of Saugerties Department of Public Works.
At Saturday’s celebration, about a dozen bicyclists, a number of them with young children who rode in special seats on the backs of their parents’ bikes, turned out for a quick ride on Bike Route A, out to the lighthouse with a stop at the Farmers Market.
Revolution Bikes were there to help ensure that everyone was riding a safe bike and, of course, to help promote bicycling.