The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is partnering with State and local governments across Maryland to celebrate the Seventh Annual “Walktober” program, a month-long series of activities in October promoting the State’s official exercise: walking. Maryland named walking as the official State exercise in October 2008.
“Walking is healthy for your body, good for our environment, and the best way to see Montgomery County,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “We are committed to making walking and pedestrian mobility easy, safe, and accessible throughout Montgomery County. I encourage all residents to get their steps this ‘Walktober’ while the weather is beautiful, the foliage is in bloom, and it’s the perfect time to explore new communities, dine at your favorite restaurants, and pick some apples or pumpkins at a local farm.”
MCDOT will be hosting a series of outreach events throughout the County designed to highlight the importance of walking and to promote the work being done under the Vision Zero program to make walking in Montgomery County safe for people of all ages and abilities.
“We are proud to partner with State and local agencies to promote ‘Walktober,’” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “This is a great opportunity to highlight the health benefits of walking and raise awareness on safety as we work together to achieve our Vision Zero goals.”
Events scheduled for Walktober include:
- The Walk & Ride Challenge. Oct. 4-22. The Challenge is open to employees working remotely or in-person in five participating Transportation Management Districts around the County. Nearly 100 employer-based teams have registered and will compete against each other to log the most steps for weekly prizes and a grand prize at the end of the competition. More information on the Challenge is available at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/walkandride/rules.html.
- Walk to School Day. Wednesday, Oct. 6. All schools are encouraged to sponsor a Walk to School event and register their event at http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/.
- Walking Wednesdays. Every Wednesday during Walktober, Safe Routes to Schools team members will be at numerous Montgomery County Public Schools to talk safety, provide prizes and meet mascot Zeal. View details on the calendar here.
- Pedestrian Safety Events. Every week, County staff will be at various locations to promote recent safety improvements made to nearby roadways and talk with residents about safely navigating through new bike lanes and pedestrian hybrid beacons. The events will be in Aspen Hill, Friendship Heights, Wheaton and Germantown. View details on the calendar here.
- Walk Maryland Day. Wednesday, Oct. 6. Event encourages Marylanders to participate in registered walks. Marylanders can become Walk Maryland Day “Sole Mates” by registering to join one of the official walks across the State.
- The State is hosting four webinars, dubbed “walkinars,” every Thursday throughout October. Details and registration can be found here.