Rallies will also be held at the College of Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins University – Homewood Campus, Morgan State University, Montgomery Park and Northrop Grumman.

Bike to Work Day is a major component of BMC’s 8th Annual Clean Commute Month, which is observed during the entire month of May. May is the beginning of ground-level ozone season, the time when Code Red and Orange Bad Air Day announcements inform us when the air becomes unhealthful to breathe – especially for the young, the elderly, and anyone with respiratory problems.

During Clean Commute Month, residents are encouraged to help clear the air by trying an alternative to driving to and from work alone. Alternatives include walking, biking, using transit, carpooling and telecommuting. Commuting by bicycle is a great way to reduce vehicle emissions from fossil fuels and improve the quality of the air we breathe.

Biking to work provides personal benefits, too. With gasoline prices inching back upwards, bicycling to work can add up to real money in your pocket. Biking to work can also save you time by combining your daily trip to work with your daily workout. You won’t have to squeeze in a special trip to the gym.

By promoting Bike to Work Day, BMC hopes to encourage new bicycle commuters, as well as recognize and reward repeat, and even regular, bike-to-workers. You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to ride your bike to work. All MTA buses are equipped with bike racks, so you can take the bus for part of your trip and ride the rest of the way.

More than 1,250 cyclists have already pre-registered at www.Bike2WorkCentralMD.com. Ride-in registrations are also welcome. Registrants will receive the 2010 Bike2Work t-shirt, a copy of a 30-page guide to bicycle commuting and be eligible to win prizes. Of the 1,250 registrants, more than half of them typically drive to work.

Bike to Work Day is an initiative of the Clean Commute Partnership, which includes the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, the Maryland Departments of the Environment and Transportation, and Clean Air Partners.　Regional Bike to Work Day sponsors include the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN-HD), PNC Bank, and PricePoint.com. Four folding bikes from GreenZone Bikes will be awarded as grand prizes.