About 250 people came together Saturday, Sept. 12, for the inaugural Bike Broad: Walk • Bike • Roll, a new car-free community event presented by CAT – Coalition for Appropriate Transportation in partnership with the City of Bethlehem.

Broad Street was temporarily transformed into a welcoming space for people to walk, bike, and roll without motor vehicle traffic for one hour. Participants of all ages and abilities traveled along the route before gathering at the Bethlehem Rose Garden for a community festival featuring music, food trucks, local vendors, community organizations, as well as the Bethlehem Rose Garden Farmers’ Market.

The event was created to celebrate active transportation, bring the community together, and give residents an opportunity to experience Bethlehem’s streets in a new way.

“Seeing so many people come out for our very first Bike Broad was incredibly exciting,” said CAT Executive Director Scott Slingerland “We wanted to create something joyful and welcoming that brought people together while also demonstrating what our streets can look like when they are designed around people. The response shows that there is a real appetite for this kind of event and a new way of looking at how we use our streets in the Lehigh Valley.”

Bike Broad also highlighted Bethlehem’s ongoing efforts to create safer, more accessible streets, including the City’s vision for the future of Broad Street with protected bicycle lanes, traffic calming measures, and improved pedestrian crossings.

Mayor J. William Reynolds said “Streets are for people, not just cars. We are building a city around this idea. Bike Broad showed just how many people agree.”

Bike Broad was offered as a free community event, with suggested donations benefiting CAT’s year-round advocacy, education, and community programs. CAT works throughout the Lehigh Valley to improve walking, biking, rolling, ADA accessibility, and public transportation.

The inaugural event was supported by sponsors including PPL Foundation, First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union, Piscitello Law, Blue Zones Bethlehem, Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, THE LINK Trail Network, Working Dog Press, and Aardvark Sports

Shop, as well as numerous community partners, volunteers, vendors, and local organizations.

“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the first Bike Broad possible – from the City and our sponsors to our volunteers, community partners, and every person who showed up,” said Lisa Lubin, CAT board member and Bike Broad Organizer. “More than anything, we wanted people to have fun, feel welcome, and see their city a little differently. With nearly 250 people joining us for year one, we’re excited about the possibility of building this into a signature annual Bethlehem event and attracting more and more people every year.”