Rosemont company to host pit stop during Bike to Work Week

Are you up for a challenge? The Burke Group is not only taking part in Bike Commuter Challenge but is encouraging others to join them at their annual pit stop hosted by the Rosemont company.

The Burke Group will be hosting a bike pit stop on Thursday, June 19 from 6:30 to 9 a.m. at their Rosemont location, 9575 Higgins Road. Riders can enjoy refreshments while your bicycle is checked and cleaned with the help of The Pony Shop. The pit stop is part of Active Transportation Alliance’s Bike to Work Week, June 13-20.

Earlier this year, the Burke Group was awarded Platinum Level for being a Bicycle Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB). The Burke Group received the Platinum designation by excelling at LAB’s five essential elements, known as the Five E’s; Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation and Planning.  The Burke Group is one of only a dozen companies nationwide to receive the Platinum Level designation, and the sole recipient in Illinois.

“Every year we get more and more to people to participate in our Bike to Work program,” said Christopher Burke, PhD, PE, D.WRE, Dist.M.ASCE, President of Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. “To receive the highest level of recognition for being a Bicycle Friendly Business is a great honor. I want to commend all of our participants for helping us achieve this award. We are a proponent of the Bike to Work program, but it is our employees’ dedication that makes it thrive.”

This year, The Burke Group also introduced a fleet bike program, or company-shared bicycles, at the Rosemont office.  Each company bike comes equipped with a helmet, backpack, lock, full tire repair kit, reflectors, and tools for adjustments.  Employees may check out the company bikes on a daily basis in the same fashion as a book from the library, and return the bikes when finished. This new initiative will offer staff without access to a bicycle an opportunity to participate in the Bike to Work program.

While some employees have been biking to work for years, The Burke Group only began tracking miles in 2006. Since the program’s inception, employees have commuted more than 210,000 miles by bicycle. More than 65 people participate in the bike program every year, with an average 25 people riding May to October and an average of 10 people riding year round.

Employees also receive various incentives for being a member of the program. They earn $.75 per mile they ride and receive up to $240 towards equipment reimbursement at the end of the year. They have access to a bike shelter and a locker room with shower facilities. In addition, the top male and female riders each year are awarded a new bicycle. Finally, The Burke Group offers quarterly giveaways of bike-related gear and monthly bike breakfasts.

The Bike to Work program is just one of the sustainability initiatives The Burke Group employs to reduce the number of single occupancy drivers commuting to the Rosemont office each day. This year, The Burke Group began a Corporate Membership with Divvy, Chicago’s newly introduced bikeshare program.  Through the corporate membership, The Burke Group pays for half of the cost of a yearly membership, allowing employees to join at a discounted rate.  Employees may then use the Divvy bikeshare program to attend meetings or as part of their commute to nearby transit stations.  The Burke Group is committed to helping the environment, and this is just one of the many ways they are reducing their carbon footprint.