Raleigh— The N.C. Department of Transportation is celebrating National Bike Month this month by encouraging North Carolinians to get outside and enjoying the vast amount of cycling activities that North Carolina has to offer.

During the month of May, NCDOT is holding a cycling photo contest where participants can submit their best cycling photos in hopes of winning prizes being offered by the NCDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Division. To learn more about the cycling photo contest please visit the contest webpage.

NCDOT is encouraging communities to join Bike to School Day on May 6. Bike to School Day is a national event that gives communities across the country the opportunity to join together in bicycling to school on the same day.

NCDOT and NCDHHS have created a new Active Routes to School video. The video describes various local efforts to improve safe access to physical activity to and at schools in the state. “We are excited about the release of this video as it highlights the Active Routes to School project and our collaborative efforts between NCDOT and NCDHHS. We continue to be so inspired by all of the activities and awareness raising that is occurring throughout the state, especially in preparation for Bike to School Day” said Ed Johnson, Assistant Director of the Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation.

NC Active Routes to School Update – Spring 2015 from NC Department of Transportation on Vimeo.

NCDOT is encouraging cyclists across the state to send in additional information about cycling events occurring throughout the state during the month of May on the Walk Bike NC website. The Walk Bike NC website will feature a calendar of cycling events occurring across the state but we need your submissions in order to fill in the calendar. Please send in your event submissions here.

NCDOT received the National Planning Achievement Award for Transportation Planning from the American Planning Association on April 20. The award is given for Walk Bike NC (the statewide plan for pedestrian and bicycle transportation). The award was accepted on behalf of NCDOT during the national planning conference in Seattle. The award announcement is listed here.