Kansas Transportation: Motoring Monday

As National Bike Month rolls to a stop at the end in May, Kansas will keep on pedaling to continue promoting fun and safe cycling through June. Gov. Laura Kelly will also sign a proclamation calling for special attention to bicycling, proclaiming June 2019 as Bicycle Safety and Awareness Month in Kansas.

Kansas is a destination state for cyclists. The state has a lot to offer year-round, but the month of June stands out as it hosts several bicycle-related events that attract visitors from other states and around the world, shining a spotlight on the scenic beauty our state is known for. Each week in June, we’ll be sharing bike-related information about upcoming events, state laws and safety tips and other resources through this blog and KDOT social media.

The following events are examples of the various activities that will take place across the state during June.

Dirty Kansa event.

June 1: The City of Emporia will host the world-famous gravel bike race known as Dirty Kanza, attracting thousands of visitors - cyclists and their support crews, fans and vendors - to the Flint Hills Region for the event. Dirty Kanza caters specifically to gravel grinding, the fastest growing genre in the cycling industry and Kansas is home of the “World’s Premier Gravel Grinder.” Since 2006, this event has grown in popularity and has had a positive impact on the city and surrounding areas. For more information, please visit: https://dirtykanza.com/

Biking Across Kansas event.

June 8-15: The 45^th annual Biking Across Kansas will follow a new route across the state. This eight-day tour is a recreational and social rally for cyclists that celebrates the history and scenery of the landscape while enjoying Kansas hospitality in each town they visit. This popular event draws several hundred participants from across Kansas and neighboring states each year. For more information on this year’s 497-mile adventure-by-bike, please visit: https://bak.org/2019/route2019.php

June 8-30: During this time, Kansans can expect to see an increase in bicycle activity along the Trans-America Trail, which mostly follows the state’s U.S. Bicycle Route 76 (USBR 76), as participants of the TransAm Bike Race make their way through the state. This is a 4,223-mile race beginning in Astoria, Ore., and ending in Yorktown, Va. The portion through Kansas is approximately 480 miles between the Colorado and Missouri borders. This route includes K-96 and K-126. For more information on the TransAm Bike Race and the route through Kansas, please visit: https://transambikerace.com

State Resources