BikeNewark

bicycling stories, commuting, events, transportation

How I celebrated National Bike Month: Bike to Work Day and The Commuter Challenge

by Jacquee Lukawski

National Bike to Work Day occurs annually on the third Friday in May. BikeNewark, and several of its partner organizations hosted Bike to Work Day in Newark on the morning of May 16. The event featured breakfast food, speakers representing local or state entities, random giveaways to registered attendees, and the Bicycle Friendly Community Leader Award, which was presented to Delaware State Senator Dave Sokola. I was fortunate enough to win free registration to the Amish Country Bike Tour in Dover, Del., for the second year in a row!

On Bike to Work Day, I do not ride my bicycle all the way from North Wilmington to Newark but combine biking with a SEPTA regional rail trip. Someday I hope that there will be sufficient infrastructure to enable me to ride my bike to work, but as of right now, it’s not safe to do so. To accomplish my multimodal commute, I use two bikes—one that I ride to the Claymont SEPTA Station and the other that I keep parked at the Newark Train Station. Both bikes are inexpensive and secured with u-locks. While I have taken my bike on the train before, I don’t find it to be a pleasant experience, so I try to avoid it. Maybe in the future I’ll sell a bike or two and buy a folding bike that would be much easier to transport via the train.

photo of Jacquee Lukawski biking up Monkey Hill cobbletones — Jacquee Lukawski battling up Monkey Hill (photo by Joe Del Tufo, Moonloop Photography)

Each year for the past three years, I have also participated in the Commuter Challenge division of the Monkey Hill Time Trial, which is the event that kicks off the Wilmington Grand Prix, held each year on Bike to Work Day. This is a three-mile ride through Brandywine Park in Wilmington, ending on a steep climb up the cobblestones of Monkey Hill, adjacent to the Brandywine Zoo. The Commuter Challenge is a fundraising event for Urban Bike Project of Wilmington—the sister organization to Newark Bike Project (one of BikeNewark’s seven partner organizations). It features competitors dressed up in costumes and carrying extra weight on their bikes; it’s truly entertaining and a great time!

This year, I got caught up in the cobbles and ended up running off the course midway up the hill. I was able to get started again and successfully made it up the hill with the crowd going wild for my outfit—a dress (which I made myself), high-heel wedge shoes, and a straw hat over my helmet. Most people could not believe that I would wear those shoes, and, indeed, most sane people would not do so, but it was my milestone after raising $500 for the cause. My feet are still recovering from blisters several days later, but the memories are worth it!

Editor’s note: Jacquee Lukawski is a University of Delaware Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering staff member and currently BikeNewark’s Secretary.

communication, commuting, education, encouragement, enforcement, events

Successful bike-safety checkpoints held

photo of Jacquee Lukawski and John Fiori at checkpoint tent — BikeNewark secretary Jacquee Lukawski and DelDOT’s John Fiori await student customers at the bike-safety checkpoint adjacent to the Delaware Avenue two-way protected bikeway.

In cooperation with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), the University of Delaware (UD) Department of Public Safety (UDPD), and Delaware Commute Solutions, BikeNewark held spring bicycle-safety checkpoint events on the UD campus on April 1st and April 9th.

photo of Bob McBride and student — BikeNewark chair Bob McBride talks with a student about the importance of wearing a helmet.

During these events, BikeNewark members and DelDOT and Delaware Commute Solutions staff members interacted with approximately 40 UD students. Free bike lights and helmets were offered. Bicycle-safety information, most of which is available on our Other Resources webpage, was handed out, depending on the particular student’s interest, needs, and/or safety violation.

photo of student and John Fiori — A student looks on as DelDOT’s John Fiori installs a free bike light on her electric bicycle.

A total of 18 sets of bicycle lights (white front light, red rear light) were installed onto student bicycles, and five helmets were fitted and given away. The weather on each day was cold and somewhat windy, so these numbers were much lower than normally experienced during typical checkpoint events.

Students who were serviced left overwhelmingly happy that we had provided them with useful information and safety gear. Two such events will again be offered on campus in September.

communication, education, encouragement, engineering, events, infrastructure, projects, safety

What we accomplished in 2024

While 2024 was not the most successful year in terms of being able to promote and effect our missional objectives, we were able to be involved in the community and accomplish the following:

photo of kiosk — One of four information kiosks installed in Newark parks along Newark Bikeways routes

Maintained membership of 42 individuals, losing seven former members but gaining seven others.
Completed our information-kiosk project, which included installation by the City of Newark in four locations (Phillips Park, the junction of the Hall and Pomeroy Trails, Olan Thomas Park, and Hillside Park) with the addition of Newark Bikeways and City of Newark Area Recreation Amenities maps created by BikeNewark.
Highlighted National Bike Month in May with our annual Bike to Work Day event on the campus of the University of Delaware, in coordination with event partners City of Newark, UD, DelDOT, Newark Bike Project, and Delaware Commute Solutions. About 75 participants attended the event.
Partnered with University of Delaware Police, DelDOT, and Newark Bike Project to hold three successful bike-safety events on campus, during which about 70 sets of bike lights were installed, about 20 bike helmets were given and fitted, and bicycle-safety information was distributed.
Organized and held six First Friday Rides community events—slow group rides that are meant to encourage those of all ages to enjoy bicycling and practice good group-riding etiquette.
Supported A. I. Whoo on its University of Delaware–hosted Newark Outdoor Recreation information project, which involved creation of a website and installation of associated outdoor signage with QR codes. The website utilizes the BikeNewark-created City of Newark Area Recreation Amenities map, which coordinates with the Newark Bikeways low-stress network.
Assisted in the efforts of WILMAPCO and City staff to update the 2014 Newark Bicycle Plan, and a member made presentations to The Newark Partnership and Rotary Club about the update project.
Supported the Newark Arts Alliance’s inaugural “Garden Tour by Bike” event with bike-route map.
Distributed information and talked with attendees at the annual Newark Community Day in September.
Supported John R. Downes Elementary School for its annual Bike to School Day celebration in May.
Supported John R. Downes Elementary School during its DelDOT-led day of bike rodeos—practical bicycle-safety sessions for children.
Supported the Newark Center for Creative Learning’s Greenfest event.
Supported the Delaware State Parks’ trail-information days for White Clay Creek State Park.
Members participated in planning committees/discussions for the following projects/topics:
- South College Avenue gateway
- Newport-to-Newark off-road trail
- Newark to Lums Pond bike access
Members participated in (and continue on) The Newark Partnership.
A member participated (and continues) on the City of Newark’s Transportation Improvement District (TID) Committee.
A member participated (and continues) on the City of Newark’s Conservation Advisory Committee.

news

Officers elected for 2025-26

At BikeNewark’s partnership meeting on December 19th, election results were announced for the four members who will serve as BikeNewark’s board officers in 2025–26, with 41% of last year’s membership having voted.

photo of Bob McBride — Bob McBride, Chair

BikeNewark Chair Bob McBride was re-elected to lead the partnership for a fourth two-year term, having received 13 of the 17 votes cast. Dave Schultz received the other four votes. Bob grew up in Newark and retired here after a long career at a private school in Pennsylvania. In the past, he has been a member of the White Clay Bicycle Club. In addition to leading BikeNewark, he currently serves on the Nonprofit Enhancement Committee of The Newark Partnership and as Secretary to the Board of Directors of The Newark Partnership, representing the nonprofit organizations of Newark community. Bob is an avid recreational bicyclist and bird-watcher.

photo of Michael Smith — Michael Smith, Vice-Chair

BikeNewark member and 2023–24 Treasurer Michael Smith has been elected as our new Vice-Chair, having received 12 votes. He succeeds Kevin Monahan, who received 2 votes; relatively new member Jonathan “JT” Fleming also received 2 votes. Michael works as Executive Director for the environmental nonprofit Powering Our Future, based out of Pike Creek. Last fall he ran, albeit unsuccessfully, for a seat in Delaware’s House of Representatives. Michael has been a huge fan of cycling throughout his entire life and has not missed a single stage of the Tour de France (watching, that is) for the past 14 years. He is also a member of The Newark Partnership and the Newark branch of the NAACP.

photo of Karl Hassler — Karl Hassler, Treasurer

Running unopposed, Karl Hassler was re-elected for his fourth two-year term as Treasurer. He has served for several years on BikeNewark’s Engineering Committee and this year will take the reins as committee chair. He was a key player on the ad hoc Organizational Committee back in 2016 as well as with the 2020 updating of BikeNewark’s bylaws. A retiree from the University of Delaware, Karl has also been a member of the White Clay Bicycle Club. He enjoys bike trips while traveling the country. He’d remind you that if you can’t support BikeNewark with your time, you can always donate to help enhance our efforts.

Another relatively new BikeNewark member, Jacquee Lukawski will be joining the BikeNewark board as Secretary, succeeding Michael Smith. She received 12 votes; Jonathan “JT” Fleming received three votes, and Michael Smith two. Jacquee got back into riding about three years ago, after the positive influence of coworkers at the University of Delaware (UD). She works in UD’s College of Engineering, serving as Graduate Academic Advisor for the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering and has held multiple roles in nonprofit boards over the past five years. She enjoys the annual Bike to Work Day and on that same evening competes in the “Commuter Challenge” category of the Wilmington Grand Prix weekend’s Monkey Hill Time Trial to raise money for Urban Bike Project.

Bob McBride, Michael Smith, Karl Hassler, and Jacquee Lukawski will each be serving during 2025–2026, consistent with BikeNewark’s bylaws. Board member elections are held at the end of even years; board members must be Individual Members of BikeNewark, as defined in the partnership’s bylaws. The partnership thanks Kevin Monahan for his service during the previous two years.

Note: Our partnership meetings are open to the public and typically are held on the third Thursday of the month, alternating monthly between 4:30 p.m. hybrid (in person and Zoom) at the STAR Tower and 7:00 p.m. Zoom only. Want to help? Get involved!

communication, environment, infrastructure, news, projects, transportation

City adds BikeNewark’s new information kiosks

Recently, the City installed three of four planned information kiosks, paid for through grants secured by BikeNewark, in city parks as a guide supplement to BikeNewark’s low-stress network wayfinding signage. Each kiosk contains our Bikeways map and a city Area Recreation Amenities resource map.

Partnering with the City of Newark Department of Parks & Recreation, BikeNewark produced the resource map (shown below), which highlights area parks, noting specific park amenities with an overlay of the Newark Bikeways low-stress network, as well as many off-road trails.

Kiosks have been installed in Phillips Park along the James F. Hall Trail (where the Southwest Bikeway meets the Central Loop), at the junction of the Hall and Pomeroy Trails (Central Loop), and in Olan Thomas Park along the Pomeroy Trail (North Bikeway). The fourth kiosks will be installed in Hillside Park (West Bikeway).

photo of kiosk position in Olan Thomas Park — One of the kiosk locations is Olan Thomas Park, along the Pomeroy Trail, part of the North Bikeway.

> Area Recreation Amenities map (PDF)
> Newark Bikeways map (PDF)

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