LANSING – State Representative Andy Coulouris (D-Saginaw) is looking forward to having the longest morning commute of his life next week. On Monday, May 14, Coulouris will kick off of Bike-to-Work Week by leaving behind his car keys and pedaling his way – all 85 miles of it – from his home in Saginaw to his Lansing office.
"Like most Michigan residents, I depend on my car to get to work every day," Coulouris said. "Greener routes to work do exist. Bike-to-Work Week reminds us that riding a bike – whether it's daily or just a few times a month – is a simple way to keep our air clean. I hope my commute brings awareness to the benefits of relying more on environmentally-friendly modes of transportation. Biking is also a great way to save money: it costs about $3,000 a year to maintain a car, and less than $300 a year to keep a bike going."
May is National Bike Month, when the League of American Bicyclists promotes the benefits of biking and highlights efforts around the country to make communities more biker- and pedestrian-friendly.
Taking county roads that wind through Saginaw and Clinton counties, Coulouris estimates that he will average 15 miles an hour, making the trip in about six hours.
"For at least one day, I won't have to deal with $3-a-gallon fuel," Coulouris said. "The only kind of fuel I'll be worrying about will be what I have for breakfast."
While working as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Saginaw, Coulouris could be spotted biking to work now and then. But he has never taken on a commute like this.
"I'm taking this on as a personal challenge," Coulouris said. "An 85-mile commute should take my biking to another level."
For more information, contact Coulouris at (888) 617-ANDY.