Thousands of people spent part of their Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, giving back, while bicycling through parts of Seattle normally reserved for cars.
The fourth annual “Emerald City Ride” started at 7 a.m. Sunday.
The State Route 99 Tunnel, which opened earlier this year, is part of the new course for this event.
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Last year, participants got to ride on the Alaskan Viaduct, for the first and last time.
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“This is a very cool experience. I have never ridden my bike through the tunnel,” said Karen Wilkinson.”It’s nice to be on the roads with absolutely no traffic”.
The route for this 12-mile ride also winds over the Aurora Bridge and onto the I-5 express lanes before finishing up by T-Mobile Park.
The organizer said the event is also meant to highlight the continuing need for the city to both invest and improve infrastructure, not just for drivers, but also bike riders as well.
“We will continue to push for protected bike lanes and infrastructure and connected network downtown to help people move through safely, both bikes and drivers, said Rebecca Sorensen, the events and rides community director of Cascade Bicycle Club.
To coincide with the Memorial Day Weekend Holiday, $5 from every registration will also go toward a nonprofit called The Mission Continues which helps veterans continue to make a positive impact on their community.
Doug Pfeffer is a veteran working with the nonprofit. He’s also taking part in Emerald City Ride this year.
“I wanted to come out and make sure people remember that this is not all about BBQs and bicycle rides,” said Pfeffer. “Memorial Day Weekend is about remembering those we lost.”