Ken Carlson, right, at the March 20 Streetwise event at Aeronaut Brewing near Union Square, Somerville. (Photo: Tom Meek)
A discussion on “The Intersection of Bikes and Business” is part of a kickoff event for May’s National Bike Month on Sunday, a gathering that is expected to include U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and state Sen. Will Brownsberger, organizers said.
The 1 to 5:30 p.m. gathering for what Massachusetts knows as Bay State Bike Month is a collaboration between MassBike, the Cambridge Bike Safety Group, Somerville Bike Safety Group and the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee, and will be held at the Aeronaut Brewery in Somerville, the site of the Streetwise series put on by the Somerville Bicycle Committee to talk about safer streets and alternative forms of transportation.
The “Bikes and Business” discussion at 3 p.m. will be led by Somerville city councilor Willie Burnley Jr. with panelists Court Verhaalen, chief executive of the Diesel Cafe chain of coffee shops, baked goods and ice cream; Pooja Paode, assistant director of the small-business organization Cambridge Local First; Jennifer Rowe, a planner with the Boston Transportation Department; and Chris Cassa of the Cambridge Bike Safety group.
It’s a hot topic, considering a policy order returns Monday to Cambridge’s City Council asking for an extension of the timeline installing bike lanes in three locations, mainly because of concerns over their impact on businesses. A city study of the economic impact the lanes have on businesses drew polarized reactions upon its release in January.
More than 35 organizations will have informational tables in Aeronaut’s Foods Hub – which houses the arepas eatery Carolicious – including Bikes Not Bombs, CultureHouse, the Cambridge Bike Give Back program, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and state Department of Transportation, Rozzie Bikes and Bicycle Benefits.
There will be live music from Hillbilly Holiday and Lunatic Neighbors in the tap room.
Organizer Ken Carlson, a former member of the Somerville Bicycle Committee and current Cambridge resident, called Aeronaut a great supporter and friend of the bike community. The brewery has hosted the Streetwise series (formerly known as Bike Talk) for eight years, minus a pause for Covid pandemic lockdowns. The free monthly talks take place in the Foods Hub every third Wednesday of the month.
The May talk is about bike buses. Future talks bring in the Bike Give Back program, Walk Massachusetts, state transportation officials and Bikes Not Bombs and, in November, asks: “E-bikes: Curse or Cure?”
Aeronaut Brewing is at 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Information on the kickoff event is here.
This post was updated in April 26, 2024, to correct time time of a panel discussion.