Santa Monica Celebrates Bike Month this May

April 30, 2026 12:15 PM
by Christian Wheeler

The city of Santa Monica is celebrating Bike Month by highlighting progress on its Vision Zero priorities and bringing the community together through fun events and educational activities designed to raise awareness about the city’s multimodal infrastructure improvements. 

Several Bike Month activities throughout May will share information about the city’s safety efforts and encourage safer, more connected travel for everyone. Come stop by! 

Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week 
May 4 – 8, citywide and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD)
Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week encourages students to be active by getting to school using alternative modes of transportation. SMMUSD will celebrate Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week this year, and Big Blue Bus will offer free rides for students K-12. There are two easy ways K-12 students attending school in Santa Monica can ride Big Blue Bus for free during Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week:

  1. Use your GoPass TAP Card. With GoPass, students can ride free on Metro, Big Blue Bus, and 11 other participating transit agencies in LA County at any time, including during Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week.
  2. Show your valid school ID to the operator when boarding. Don’t have a school ID? Big Blue Bus will also accept a current report card, class schedule, or an official letter from your school verifying enrollment. 

Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week Student Art Contest
Through May 8, citywide 
Celebrate Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week by showing how you get around Santa Monica and inspiring others to walk, bike, and ride Big Blue Bus! The city of Santa Monica’s Department of Public Works and Big Blue Bus invite students to participate in a student art contest by submitting an original artwork that highlights getting to school and around the city without a car.

City Council Bike Month Proclamation 
Tuesday, May 12, 5:30 p.m., City Council Chambers (1685 Main St.) 
City Council will recognize National Bike Month with an official proclamation supporting biking and safety improvements in Santa Monica. 

Bike Anywhere Day 
Thursday, May 14, see map of pit stops
Celebrate Bike Anywhere Day by riding your bike to work, school, or anywhere as a way to promote and support biking. The city of Santa Monica and partner organizations host “pit stops” at various locations around the city and provide giveaways, resources, and promotions to riders who participate. See the list pit stops (and check Santa Monica Spoke for more updates and confirmed Bike Month events and promotions): 

Kidical Mass + Mental Health and Wellness Fair
Sunday, May 17, 9-11:30 a.m., Clover Park (2600 Ocean Park Blvd.) 
Enjoy a fun-filled group bike ride for all ages and other family friendly activities hosted by the city’s Human Services Division and Santa Monica Spoke.

Santa Monica Public Library Bike Repair RED Kits 
The month of May, Main Library (601 Santa Monica Blvd.) 
Bike Repair RED (Read, Engage, Discover) Kits are available for check out at the Main Library! Learn how to fix a flat tire, bike chain, brakes, and more with these new tool kits. RED Kits are themed kits for adults that include books, suggested activities, resources, and materials to encourage a self-paced learning experience.

The city continues to make strides towards its goal to eliminate fatal and severe traffic injuries on city streets using a Safe Systems Approach focused on: engineering, enforcement, education, and evaluation. Check out some of the city’s ongoing bike safety improvement projects: 

Colorado Avenue Protected Bikeway: A dedicated protected bike lane will be added from 17th Street to 5th Street, westbound only, to connect the Exposition Bike Path to the Colorado Esplanade. Target completion date is this June. 

Broadway Protected Bike Lanes: The existing bike lanes on Broadway are being upgraded to protected lanes, using a combination of concrete barriers and parking. Pedestrian beacons and additional traffic calming treatments will be added throughout. Target completion date is this July. 

Bergamot First/Last Mile Improvements: This project will connect local neighborhoods to transit facilities, bikeways, schools, parks, and employment opportunities. The project area is made up of four key corridors - the Olympic Boulevard sidewalk from 26th Street to Stewart Street (north side); 26th Street protected bike lanes from Olympic Boulevard to Broadway; and Stewart Street protected bike lanes from Kansas Avenue to Colorado Avenue/Yale Street - that will receive bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements as identified in the city's Land Use and Circulation Element, Bicycle Action Plan, Bergamot Area Plan, Pedestrian Action Plan and the Local Roadway Safety Plan. 

Learn more about biking in Santa Monica, with links to resources such as the city’s Bicycle Action Plan, bike map, information about shared mobility, and more! 

 We look forward to seeing you biking around Santa Monica this May!

Authored By

Christian Wheeler
Transportation Management Specialist

Categories

Getting Around, Programs, Sustainable and Connected, Ways to Get Around