Safety Pledge campaign encourages safety awareness for March 29
San Antonio — Before YMCA of Greater San Antonio’s Síclovía returns to Southtown on March 29, organizers are getting an early start in educating the public about the safety by inviting all participants to take a Safety Pledge at Siclovia.org.
“Síclovía is car-free, but pedestrians and cyclists must put safety first,” said Sandy Morander, president & CEO of YMCA of Greater San Antonio. “Participants can ensure a safe, fun event by pledging to follow basic rules.”
Pledge online or at Síclovía and you will be entered to win a Trek, X-Caliber 6 mountain bike. Bike World donated this orange, hardtail, 29-inch wheel and it will be part of the Trek demonstration at Síclovía. The winner will be drawn after March 29.
The Y also premiered its new Síclovía Safety Pledge video, which can be seen on the Síclovía home page, Siclovia.org.
Síclovía runs between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on March 29, Presenting Sponsor H-E-B and Platinum Sponsor Humana will open the streets to an expected 50,000+ participants. Síclovía is a free event that will turn selected city streets into a safe place for people of all ages to exercise and play in a car-free environment for five hours.
Although Síclovía is free of vehicles, there is still a high volume of traffic on designated roadways as more than 50,000 participants traverse streets by foot, bicycles, walking dogs or pushing strollers.
“This is a fun way for the whole family to get out an exercise, but we need the public to understand the rules of the road before they participate,” said Rebecca J. Viagran, City Councilwoman for District 3, which includes a large portion of the Southtown route.
Hundreds of safety volunteers will be stationed along the Síclovía route to remind pedestrians and cyclists about basic traffic rules. The Southtown route starts at the intersection of St. Mary’s Street and S. Alamo. It travels south along South St. Mary’s, west on Steves Avenue, and south onto Mission Road to Mission Concepción, for a total of about 2.7 miles.
The pledge is as follows:
Síclovía is car-free, but everyone must put safety first. To keep Síclovía fun and safe, I pledge to:
- Show respect. The road belongs to all participants.
- Keep a safe speed. This is not a race.
- Stay to the right if I am walking, jogging slowly or have young children.
- Use sidewalks for walking and standing only. Don’t stop in the street.
- Wear a helmet if I’m on wheels to protect my head.
- Keep an eye on my children at all times.
- Keep my pets on a short leash to avoid tripping hazards.
- Have fun by playing it safe!
Joining the YMCA in calls for safety are the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) and the City of San Antonio’s Transportation & Capital Improvements (TCI).
“We are pleased to be supporting the YMCA in their eighth event. Safety is a primary focus of SAPD and too often the rules of the road are ignored, and people get injured,” said SAPD Police Chief Anthony Treviño. “We’re excited that the Y is supporting a safety first campaign.”
Visit www.siclovia.org for more information. For more coverage on our kick off press conference, check out KSAT 12’s coverage here or FOX 29’s coverage here.
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About Síclovía:
A YMCA of Greater San Antonio event, Síclovía is ideal to bike, run, skateboard or do any recreational activity without worrying about navigating around traffic. Among the largest events of its kind in the country, Síclovía draws tens of thousands for fitness fun in the streets of San Antonio. It features reclovías, or stopping points, along a 2.7-mile route with free activities for everyone to enjoy. Those include a zone for novice cyclists, zumba, yoga, music and several vendors with fun activities and interesting information on how to have a healthier lifestyle.