As 2024 comes to a close, we’re celebrating another incredible year of advancing bicycling across Massachusetts! From legislative wins and expanded community programs to impactful advocacy and education efforts, MassBike has been hard at work making our state safer and more accessible for all cyclists. The MassBike staff (pictured above) recently took time to pull together a few of our highlights from 2024, below are some of our favorite and most impactful initiatives from the year.

These successes are only possible because of the support of our passionate donors like you. As we gear up for 2025, we invite you to help us keep the momentum rolling. Your year-end donation will directly fuel initiatives like our Lights Brigade program, Safe Routes to Schools education, and local advocacy efforts. Together, we can continue building a healthier, more connected Massachusetts—one pedal stroke at a time.

Volunteer Engagement - Lights Brigade and Beyond

In 2024, Emma, MassBike’s Admin Coordinator, worked hard to keep volunteers engaged in our community events. She held at least one volunteer opportunity per month, ranging from lights brigade prepping at the office to bike valet at large community events like the Minuteman Block Party and Somerville’s Fluff Fest. She engaged 89 event volunteers throughout the year and found it rewarding to provide opportunities for new and returning volunteers to engage with our work. In 2025, Emma hopes to bring our volunteers to other local organizations doing similar work to highlight our coalition efforts.

For our Lights Brigade program, which Emma manages, she engaged 60 lead volunteers and gave away over 1,300 lights. It has been so great to see the creativity of our lights brigade volunteers, giving the lights away at all kinds of community events, including holiday tree lighting, community nighttime rides, and office gatherings across Massachusetts!

Legislative Advocacy - Supporting Shared Used Paths and Micromobility

This year, we celebrated two key policy victories that demonstrate meaningful progress for biking and micro-mobility in Massachusetts. Thanks to the efforts of MassBike, WalkMassachusetts, and our partners, these wins lay the groundwork for a safer, more accessible, and interconnected transportation future.

First, the establishment of a Micro-Mobility Commission will help shape thoughtful regulations for e-bikes, scooters, and other emerging transportation options. With MassBike and WalkMassachusetts representing active transportation advocates, we’re ensuring the voices of riders and pedestrians are heard. 

Second, a new clean energy siting law now requires developers to consider shared-use paths and outdoor recreation in their projects, opening the door for more trails and greenway connections across the state. These achievements reflect the growing recognition of sustainable, active transportation as vital to Massachusetts’ future.

Increased Community Engagement and Expanded E-Bike Program in Worcester County

MassBike’s Worcester Program Manager, Alex Salcedo, grew our impact throughout Worcester County through community building and the second phase of our Worcester E-Bike Program.

During Bay State Bike Month, Alex worked with local community organizations and better bicycling advocates to organize and/or participate in six events, including a Worcester Bike Month Proclamation at City Hall, a Bike Swap, a Bike Breakfast, and a Graduation Ceremony for the First Cohort of Worcester E-Bike Program participants. 

The Worcester E-Bike Program graduation was Alex’s favorite event of Bike Month. It was very moving to hear the remarks of two of the program participants, who shared how being part of the program touched their lives in a meaningful way. Returning to biking allowed them to experience confidence, freedom, and a sense of community. 

Alex organized a least one community theme ride every month during this summer. These rides helped promote the first parking-protected bike lanes built in Worcester. An average of 39 people of all ages and abilities participated in the rides. Alex’s favorite ride was the Father’s Day Ride. It brought entire families together who experienced the bike joy, feeling safe while enjoying one of the most beautiful spots in the city: Coes Park. 

In 2024, our e-bike program expanded to include ten additional eligible communities and an option that provided a 60-75% rebate based on income level. Thanks to these additions, other local bike shops participated in the program, providing them with additional revenue and clientele. The voucher program is a confirmation that e-bike programs like ours require hard work, dedication, collective effort, and community support.

Education Programs and New Certified Cycling Instructors

One of the most rewarding programs we run at MassBike is the Safe Routes to Schools program, where MassBike instructors run bicycling education for elementary and middle schoolers across the state. This year, our instructors led nearly 150 classes, in 47 communities, reaching 2,628 students, teaching everything from proper helmet fit, to on-bike handling skills, to traffic principles and rules of the road, to basic maintenance to keep bikes rolling safe and smooth. 

Some of the most heartwarming feedback came from our 6th grade program in Cambridge, where our instructors teach every student through our four-session curriculum, with many students learning how to ride for the first time. At the Amigos School, one star student went from wobbling to pedaling in one morning, and was so excited she hopped off the bike and raised it over her head, beaming with a bright smile while her classmates cheered her on.

This fall we also hosted a certification seminar, facilitated by the staff at the Boston University Cycle Kitchen. At this seminar, we facilitated training for eight new cycling instructors. We were proud to bring back Leta Highsmith, the League of American Bicyclists’ first Black female cycling coach, to guide our new instructors in the seminar. By growing the number of trained and certified instructors in Massachusetts, MassBike will grow its capacity to run classes and inspire individuals to go out on their own to teach in their communities. Stay tuned for more classes, clinics, workshops, and instructor-led rides throughout the state going forward!

Advocating for Trails and Transportation at the MassTrails Conference

Legislative Panel 

During the MassTrails Conference, MassBike facilitated a lunchtime legislative panel moderated by MassBike Executive Director, Galen Mook. Panelists included State Rep. David LeBoeuf, State Sen. Joanne Comerford, State Rep. Michelle Ciccolo, and U.S. Rep. James McGovern. The session extolled the benefits of constituent engagement with elected officials, and each Representative noted how their strategies for legislation and policies come first from advocates in the communities who are their eyes, ears, and wheels on the ground. With opportunities to come, please feel to join in whenever possible to build relationships with your Reps, including our Lobby Day on Beacon Hill and the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC. 

Comments made by legislators during our MassTrails panel focused on the importance of trails in the communities and districts of the Representatives. From Worcester to Amherst to Lexington, trails are essential for creating a sense of community, equitable access to natural resources, safe and sustainable transportation, and a space for health and mental wellness.

Tips for TIPs (Transportation Improvement Program)

Alexis, MassBike’s Regional Advocacy Specialist, presented Tips for TIPs (Transportation Improvement Program) at the MassTrails conference along with experienced advocates from four rail-trail organizations throughout the state. We had Gaby Immerman from the Mill River Greenway, Jonathan McHatton from Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail, Sandra Medeiros from South Coast Bikeway and Jonah Chiarenza from Bike to the Sea. They provided personal accounts of their experience in each of their respective regions, including the struggles and wins of their organizations while building out bike infrastructure with support from regional and national organizations.

The slide deck from the presentation can be found here: MassTrail’s Tips for TIPs 

Safer Roadways - World Day of Remembrance

Each November, MassBike focuses on remembering the lives lost on our roadways and centering our safer roadways advocacy. During World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on November 17th, advocates across Massachusetts remembered those who died or were seriously injured on our roadways. 

Leading up to the event, MassBike worked with the Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition to host a Lit Drop at the State House to inform legislators about events across the Commonwealth and urge them to support safer roadways legislation. 

To support community events, MassBike provided mini-grants, supported by the Charlie Proctor Memorial Fund, to cover costs associated with events like food, printing, and other materials. We awarded four grants to support events in Cambridge/Boston, Brockton, Springfield, and Pittsfield.

MassBike also worked with the GBH Forum Network to co-host a panel discussion about the impacts of fatal and serious crashes and how journalists can better cover these tragic events. This discussion was hosted at the Boston Public Library and the recording is available to view on YouTube.

To learn more about our work in 2024, we hope you can join us at the MassBike Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 25th, 2025 in Worcester, MA. Our 2025 schedule is already in the works and we hope you can save some time on your calendar to join us at our upcoming events.

As we reflect on the transformative impact of 2024, we look ahead to an even brighter future. Every initiative this year was powered by your belief in our mission. But there’s still so much work to be done. As we close out this year, your generosity can pave the way for even greater achievements in 2025—whether it’s advocating for safer roadways, providing life-changing cycling education, or delivering free bike lights to riders across the state. Please consider making a year-end gift today and join us in making Massachusetts a better place to ride for everyone. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to MassBike!