For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Free Raffle Prizes Available at Eight Montgomery County Department of Transportation-Sponsored Pit Stops
Montgomery County residents are encouraged to participate in the regional Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 15. Online registration is now open. The annual event celebrates bicycling as a fun, healthy, and climate-friendly way to travel. Free pit stop events will be available across the region throughout the morning, including 15 located in Montgomery County. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will sponsor eight of those pit stops featuring music, snacks, raffles, and vendors.
The first 18,000 bicyclists to register and participate will receive a free t-shirt and be automatically entered into a raffle to win a new bike.
“Bike to Work Day” is a good opportunity for residents to explore our County’s bikeways and discover new ways to travel,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “We have prioritized transportation projects that encourage car-free ways to get around. We have built more than 17 miles of bike-friendly pathways since 2022, including new protected bikeways and pedestrian pathways connecting the Purple Line project and around schools and neighborhoods to better connect neighborhoods to bus stops and gathering places. We are also prioritizing the development of walkable streets along each of our Flash Bus Rapid Transit Corridors. Through Vision Zero, we have made upgrades to our infrastructure to make walking and biking safer.”
Residents biking to work and leisure riders are encouraged to visit one or more pit stops throughout the region. Pit stops are free and many provide refreshments, music, and local vendor displays at varying times throughout the morning of May 15. Each MCDOT-sponsored pit stop will offer free raffle prizes, including a grand-prize raffle for a new bike. In addition to the eight pit stops sponsored by MCDOT, there will be seven Bike to Work Day pit stops in Montgomery County operated by other organizations.
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Commuter Connections network brings together transportation organizations and organizes the event annually.
“Bike to Work Day lets us highlight a greener, healthier alternative to commuting by car,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Our County has more than 100 miles of bike lanes, with 28 new bike projects currently underway, including four under construction. Our Ride On transit system is bike-friendly, with bike racks available on all buses, as well as Capital Bikeshare stations in 77 locations across the County. Residents can visit our sponsored pit stops for information and resources to help make biking part of their daily routine.”
Participants can visit the Find Your Pit Stop Map to plan a route in advance.
MCDOT-sponsored pit stops will be at the following locations:
- Downtown Bethesda at Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues, Bethesda. 6:30-8:30 a.m.
- Friendship Heights at the Shops at Wisconsin and Western Avenues, Chevy Chase. 6:30-9 a.m.
- North Bethesda at Pike and Rose, west of 935 Prose St., North Bethesda. 6:30-8:30 a.m.
- Fallsgrove at Thomas Farm Community Center, 700 Fallsgrove Drive, Rockville. 6:30-9 a.m.
- Rockville Town Square, 36 Maryland Ave., Rockville. 6:30-9 a.m.
- Downtown Silver Spring at Veterans Plaza, Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street, Silver Spring. 6:30-9 a.m.
- Downtown Wheaton at Marian Fryer Town Plaza, 2424 Reedie Drive (next to the Wheaton Metro), Wheaton. 7-9 a.m.
- Germantown at BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown. 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Additional pit stops in Montgomery County will include:
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- FDA White Oak, New Hampshire Avenue and Mahan Road, Silver Spring. 7-9 a.m.
- Kensington, Clum Kennedy Park,10207-10225 Kensington Parkway, Kensington, 7-9 a.m.
- Gaithersburg-Kentlands, Main Street Pavilion, 301 Main St., Gaithersburg. 7-9 a.m.
- Gaithersburg Olde Towne Plaza (afternoon), 1 S. Summit Ave., Gaithersburg. 4-6 p.m.
- National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 45, Bethesda. 7-9:30 a.m.
- Takoma Park – Downtown/Old Takoma, Takoma Bicycle, 7216 Carroll Ave., Takoma Park. 6:30-9 a.m.
- Takoma Park – Sligo Creek Trail, at New Hampshire Avenue, Takoma Park. 7-9:30 a.m.
Additional pit stops will be located throughout the Washington region. For more information and a full list of regional pitstops, or to register, visit biketoworkmetrodc.org.
All riders are encouraged to wear a helmet.
For information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.
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Release ID: 26-053
Media Contact: Emily DeTitta, 240-372-2282
Read the original article at mcdot