Bike Commuter of the Year | 511 Contra Costa

Nominate Your Bike Inspiration for Bike Commuter of the Year


Right now, you’ve got the opportunity to recognize your favorite bike commuter. If you know someone whose commitment to their bike commute is inspiring, nominate them for the 2020 Bike Commuter of the Year Award.

As part of the annual Bike to Work Day celebration, each county crowns one dedicated cyclist Bike Commuter of the Year. You have until March 27 to let us know who you think should receive the title.

The nomination process is incredibly simple: submit the nominee’s name and a quick explanation of why they should win and you’re done!

Already have someone in mind? Nominate them now.

Meet Contra Costa’s 2019 Bike Commuter of the Year

“By riding my bike to work I save money, stay healthy, and reduce my stress levels at the same time.” –John Cunningham

Contra Costa County’s Bike Commuter of the Year for 2019 is John Cunningham!

A longtime cyclist, John is a Principal Planner for Contra Costa County’s Transportation Planning Division who quite literally walks the talk. Aware of the increasing need for infrastructure improvements, John works tirelessly to make commute routes throughout the county safe and expeditious for cyclists and pedestrians.

John cycles daily from his home in Lamorinda to his workplace in Martinez. “In the dry months my commute gets me out in nature; my preferred route takes me through Briones Regional Park.” But he is far from being a fair-weather rider; John cycles to work in the wind and rain, in the cold and dark days of winter, and even during the East Bay’s brutal summer heat. His coworkers find that pretty impressive.

“He has increased our department’s awareness of the need for new infrastructure for cycling, as well as expressing a commitment to combating climate change and reducing air pollution. Why, just the pictures on his office wall of cycling efforts have increased interest for taking up the hobby,” explains his colleague Anna Battagello.

Keep up the good work, John, and happy Bike to Work Day on May 9th!

Bike to Work Day 2018


With funding from the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, we were excited to provide support to cyclists and volunteer ambassadors of clean-air commuting at over 50+ Energizer Stations in Contra Costa County.

Tips: Getting Ready to Bike Commute
Don’t feel like you’ll be ‘road ready’ in time for Bike To Work Day? Preparing to bike commute isn’t as difficult as you might think.

Taking a little time to get familiar with your bike, figure out how to carry your stuff & find a good route (or even a bike buddy) can make things much easier.

Take the guesswork out of preparing for May 10 with our Six Tips & Tricks to Get You Ready for Bike To Work Day!

Laura Davis: Contra Costa Bike Commuter of the Year
Laura Davis is a nurse practitioner at an orthopedic clinic in Walnut Creek who commutes 10 miles by bike each day. She takes advantage of biking trails, including the Contra Costa, Iron Horse, and Canal trails, to ride comfortably across town.

Laura started bike commuting as an undergraduate at Stanford University, riding between classes and her dorm. During a summer home, she began cycling as cross-training for swimming, where she found she was able to combine her passions for health, exercise, and the environment and fell in love cycling as a result.

A strong advocate for preventing injuries before they occur, Laura educates her patients about how to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. She’s even been known to jump into the on-site gym with patients to motivate and exercise alongside them.

Laura’s advice for people interested in biking to work?

“Just do it! Exercise always makes you feel better. You’ll never regret it and you’re not polluting the environment we all live in.”

Bike Mapper: Choose the Route Best for You”
511 Contra Costa’s Bike Mapper is an innovative bicycle mapping system designed to find the flattest, most direct, or fastest route anywhere in Contra Costa. Read more about the 511CC Interactive Bike Mapper here, or check out our selection of free paper and online bike maps.

Employers: Tips on Encouraging Bike Commuting
Are you an employer who wants to inspire more employees to commute by bike?

Find great strategies for promoting bike commuting year-round at YouCanBikeThere.com. For tips on how to get more people riding on Bike To Work Day, download the Employer Toolkit!