[Links: Photo 2, Video of press conference]
MAYOR ELICKER, ALONG WITH CYCLING ADVOCATES & BUSINESSES, KICK OFF NATIONAL BIKE MONTH & HIGHLIGHT CITY EFFORTS TO PROMOTE BIKE & E-BIKE RIDERSHIP
Connex Credit Union announces new e-bike loan product -- and new state legislation (S.B. 4) will provide e-bike rebates and vouchers -- making e-bikes more accessible and affordable for residents.
NEW HAVEN, CT –Mayor Justin Elicker, along with local cycling advocates, businesses and organizations, came together to celebrate National Bike Month and to kick off New Haven Bike Month, in an effort to promote bike and electronic bike (e-bike) ridership across the city. Over thirty bike rides and events have been organized during the month-long celebration, providing opportunities for both newer and seasoned cyclists. In addition, Connex Credit Union announced the launch of a new e-bike loan product, which – along with the recent passage state legislation (S.B. 4, The Connecticut Clean Air Act) that will soon provide new e-bike rebates and vouchers – promises to make e-bikes a much more affordable and accessible mode of transportation for city residents. The event took place on the New Haven Green in front of the Pierre Lallement plaque, which honors the inventor of the bicycle who peddled from his Ansonia home to New Haven in 1866 in a demonstration for a patent he was pursuing and later received.
"National Bike Month is the perfect time for residents to explore bikes and e-bikes as a greener, healthier, and more cost-effective way to commute around the city. With its flat terrain and over 40 miles of bike lanes and paths – and more coming online soon – cycling is becoming an increasingly attractive transportation option for more New Haven residents," said Mayor Justin Elicker, an avid cyclist. "In addition, with the new cash rebates soon coming from the state coupled with the new loan product from Connex Credit Union, e-bikes will be much more accessible and affordable for city residents. As a bike rider myself, I’m excited to participate in New Haven Bike Month events and for all the ways New Haven is becoming a more bike-friendly city.”
NEW HAVEN BIKE MONTH
National Bike Month was established in 1956 to showcase the many benefits of bicycling and to encourage more people to try biking. New Haven’s celebration is being spearheaded by New Haven Bike Month and the New Haven Coalition for Active Transportation, in collaboration with other community partners.
“It’s been special to see the coalition of organizers, sponsors, and volunteers that have come together to make Bike Month happen in May,” said Caroline Tanbee Smith, co-founder and organizer of New Haven Bike Month. “That is aligned with our fundamental belief that every single person should have a voice in the future of transportation in our city. Thanks to the hard work and passion of volunteers and organizers — there will be over 30 rides, celebrations, courses, and gatherings across multiple neighborhoods in the city throughout the month!"
Sandeep Aysola, Director of the New Haven Department of Transportation, Traffic & Parking added, “The Department of Transportation is on a mission to create a transportation system that is safe, equitable, dependable, and affordable. We believe in fostering and creating mobility options that meet the needs of all communities, ensure safety, provide reliable connections, enrich public spaces and most importantly are environmentally friendly and sustainable. We are excited to kick-start Bike Month in partnership with all stakeholders, including residents, businesses, sponsors, volunteers and local and state partners.”
The City of New Haven’s Youth and Recreation Department is also offering bike excursions, events, and education programs -- including on bike safety and bike repair -- which will continue into the summer and fall, with more information to be posted on the city’s website in the coming weeks.
E-BIKES
In an exciting new development that will make e-bikes a more viable transportation option for more city residents, Connex Credit Union announced a new e-bike loan product that offers fixed rates, fix payments, and flexible terms for individuals who live, work, worship or attend school in New Haven, Fairfield, Hartford, and Middlesex Counties covering 80% of Connecticut residents.
With minimum loan amounts of $1,000 and first payments deferred for 90 days, interested residents can easily apply for an e-bike loan online (connexcu.org), over the phone (1-800-CR-UNION) or at a local branch, with most approvals happening the same day. (Additional details about the loan product can be found here.) To help celebrate bike month, Connex will also give e-bike loan holders a $25 bonus to their Share Savings Account.
"Connex is thrilled to be part of Connecticut's e-bike movement and to put e-bike purchasing within reach for more people," said Carl Casper, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Connex Credit Union. "E-bikes provide clean, efficient, fun, and cost-effective transportation. This is a terrific opportunity."
In addition, last week the Connecticut General Assembly passed Senate Bill 4, also known as the Connecticut Clean Air Act, which among other provisions, will add electric bikes to the state’s CHEAPR electric vehicle rebate program. When signed into law, this legislation will provide rebates or vouchers of up to $500 to low-middle income residents to purchase e-bikes that cost up to $3,000.
“About 60% of trips in America are under six miles and NCAT believes that by creating a cycling friendly community we can switch a lot of these trips to bicycle,” said Raymond Tsao, board member of the New Haven Coalition for Active Transportation. “Creating a truly bicycle friendly city means providing education and engagement around active transportation. That’s why NCAT is proud to offer free bicycle education to every e-bike loan customer of Connex Credit Union, and that’s also why we partner with organizations like AAA Northeast and SLR Consulting to fund our community engagement work throughout National Bike Month and Bike to Work Week.”
“Creating a bike friendly city means lowering all barriers to people getting on their bikes and riding. By working with Connex Credit Union, Park New Haven is excited to help even more people afford to make the switch and think outside the car,” said Doug Hausladen, Vice Chair of New Haven Coalition for Active Transportation and Executive Director of the New Haven Parking Authority. “With 90 days no payments someone starting in the workforce today will be able to have three months of worry-free riding before making affordable payments, well under the monthly cost of a personal vehicle. For those trips under 5 miles, an e-bike is the perfect vehicle to use and it is a healthy alternative to sitting in traffic.”
The New Haven Parking Authority has also started a new electric cargo bike share program as well, thanks to $18,000 in grant funding from the New Haven Climate Emergency Mobilization Taskforce.
“The mission of NHPA is to support Downtown and to provide safe, affordable, and convenient parking,” said Andrew Orefice, Vice Chairman of the New Haven Parking Authority. “With the increase in apartments and residents downtown and growing capacity at Union Station and transit in New Haven, our Parking Authority is working towards supporting car-free living by working with Connex to create their e-bike loan program and by creating an electric cargo bike share pilot to power the weekly grocery run or the hauling of work gear. Helping to fill in the gaps, NHPA has applied for more grant funding to purchase electric vehicles to add to the bike share system in the future.”
Local bike shop owners, including John Brehon, owner of The Devil’s Gear, and Bob Jacobson, owner of College Street Cycles, along with other advocates and organizations also voiced their enthusiasm for these developments.
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete,” said Paul Wessel, Co-Coordinator of Greater New Haven Clean Cities Coalition, highlighting the words of another innovator, engineer, and futurist Buckminster Fuller. "Today we celebrate bicycle innovators - past, present, and future, our local bikes stores - The Devil's Gear and College Street Cycles, Connex Credit Union, our wonderful elected leaders, and supportive organizations for building and promoting a new option for more sustainable transportation.”
Barry Kresch, President of the Electric Vehicle Club of CT, said "The Electric Vehicle Club of CT supports all forms of emission-free transport, e-bikes included. E-bikes are an increasingly popular form of clean transportation, especially in urban environments, and the Connex Credit Union program will serve to accelerate e-bike adoption. They have the potential to reduce total vehicle miles traveled and reduce congestion on our road.”
