- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Media Contact
Marshall Hook, Director of Communications
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) today announced three free biking and bikeshare sessions for adults ages 50 and older through its Golden Gears program. The sessions will be held in Worcester, Everett and Springfield in September and are open to residents of surrounding communities.
Participants do not need to own a bicycle or have experience using bikeshare. Each session will include an introduction to the local bikeshare system, a guided group ride, free cycling equipment and bikeshare passes. Participants can also attend an optional biking refresher before each session.
“Whether you bike every day or haven’t been on a bike in years, we want people of all ages to feel comfortable using the transportation options available in their communities,” said Interim Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. “Golden Gears gives older adults a welcoming way to get back on a bike, try bikeshare and enjoy the growing network of paths and trails we’re building across Massachusetts.”
“Transportation should work for people at every stage of life,” said Undersecretary of Transportation Policy Samantha Silverberg. “These sessions give older adults the equipment, guidance and support to try something new, build confidence and discover another way to get around their communities.”
“Staying active and connected to your community is important at every age,” said Secretary of Aging & Independence Robin Lipson. “Golden Gears makes it easier for older adults to try biking in a supportive environment, meet other riders and experience the freedom and fun that comes with riding a bike.”
The sessions will be held on the following dates and include:
Worcester Area: Sunday, September 20, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The Worcester area session will be held at the Blackstone River Greenway Visitor Center at Worcester, 3 Paul Clancy Way, Worcester, MA 01607. It will include an introduction to bikeshare, a guided Metro Mobility group ride, free cycling equipment, and Metro Mobility passes. A pre-program biking “refresher” is available at 8:00 a.m. for those who are getting back into biking.
Everett Area: Sunday, September 27, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The Everett area session will be held at the Gazebo at Rivergreen Park, 1 Rivergreen Drive, Everett, MA 02149. It will include an introduction to bikeshare, a guided Bluebikes group ride, free cycling equipment and Bluebikes passes. A pre-program biking “refresher” is available at 8:00 a.m. for those who are getting back into biking.
Springfield Area: Sunday, September 27, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The Springfield area session will be held at the UMass Henry M. Thomas III Center at Springfield,1500 Main St, Springfield, MA 01115. It will include an introduction to bikeshare, a guided ValleyBike group ride, free cycling equipment, and ValleyBike passes. A pre-program biking “refresher” is available at 8:00 a.m. for those who are getting back into biking.
The sessions are supported through an AARP Community Challenge Flagship Grant awarded to MassDOT to launch a bikeshare education and activation program for Massachusetts adults ages 50 and older that can be replicated in communities across the state. The program provides instruction, encouragement, equipment, and peer support to people who may be interested in biking but would benefit from additional guidance before riding independently.
The Golden Gears program also builds on MassDOT’s broader work to support safe, accessible, and connected transportation options through initiatives including Complete Streets, Shared Streets and Spaces, MassTrails, bikeshare expansion, and statewide bicycle and micromobility safety efforts. The program is responsive to a suggestion in the Special Commission on Micromobility Final Report to engage older adults in micromobility.
For more information on the program and event registration, please visit the MassDOT Golden Gears Program website or call 857-278-4563.
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