Organizers of a planned bicycle ride to mark the completion of the repaving of Evanston’s Ridge Avenue are looking for volunteers to help with the event.
The city will close Ridge Avenue to car traffic from 8 to 10 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26 from Howard Street to Church Street for the celebration.
City ordinances normally ban bicycle traffic on Ridge Avenue because of its narrow lanes and heavy traffic.
The non-competitive event is open to cyclists of all ages and kids are being encouraged to come in costume to preview what they plan to wear on Halloween.
Police will be stationed at signalized intersections and will allow auto traffic to cross using the normal light cycles.
But side streets will be barricaded, with auto traffic not allowed to cross. Event organizers are seeking volunteers to help with traffic control at those intersections.
Volunteers can contact Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, at annrainey8@aol.com or Alderman Anjana Hansen, 9th Ward, at ahansen@cityofevanston.org.
Commemorative tee-shirts for the event are available online.
Bike the Ridge is supported by the Evanston Bicycle Club, the Ridgeville Park District, St. Francis Hospital, the McGaw YMCA and the Oakton School PTA.
Update 6:35 p.m.: Alderman Rainey says volunteers will get a coupon good for a free hotdog, fries and drink from Wiener and Still Champion, 802 Dempster St.