Businesses get involved in Elgin bike campaign

Nearly 50 downtown Elgin businesses ranging from Al's Café & Creamery to Topnotch Tattoo have been taking part in the "Elgin by Bike" campaign during the month of September and now will be extended until Saturday, Oct. 31. As it is a relatively new initiative, the organizers wanted to give cyclists more time to participate in the program.

The purpose of Elgin by Bike is to encourage bicycling and shopping locally. All participants who visit at least ten participating businesses by bicycle may receive a small gift and enter in a raffle to win prizes, including a new Raleigh bicycle from Main Street Bicycles in Carpentersville. Anyone interested in taking part in Elgin by Bike may pick up their Elgin by Bike wallet guide at any of the participating businesses or the Elgin Downtown Neighborhood Association offices. Business employees will initial the guides of any bicycling customers. A helmet is considered evidence enough that one rode a bike to a business.

For information, call the Elgin Downtown Neighborhood Association at (847) 488-1456 or e-mail jbenson@elginil.org.

Elgin by Bike concludes a summer-long bicycle safety campaign in Elgin. For more information on this campaign, visit www.cityofelgin.org/bikes. This campaign was funded by the city of Elgin and federal highway safety funds through the Illinois Department of Transportation. Active Transportation Alliance worked as the consultant on this campaign.