Mayor and City Council Bike Ride is May 9

Published on April 29, 2026

AMES, Iowa – Ames Mayor John Haila and members of the Ames City Council invite the community to participate in a family-friendly bike ride around Ames, starting and ending at City Hall. The 8.5-mile ride will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 9, in the west parking lot at Ames City Hall, 515 Clark Ave. Bicyclists of all ages and experience levels are welcome to join the ride. There is no pre-registration necessary or cost to participate. Bike helmets are strongly encouraged.

“May is National Bike Month, so it’s a great time to get out and enjoy our city on a bicycle,” said Mayor Haila. “This year’s route will take us to several sites around Ames. We’ll stop to hear about improvements and new park amenities as we’ve done in the past. We will also visit and learn about the new fire station location in west Ames.”

Bicyclists will exit the City Hall parking lot and head west on Sixth Street to Brookside Park. The route will include a loop through the park before returning to Sixth Street and heading west to University Boulevard. Cyclists will turn south on University Boulevard past Hilton Coliseum to Center Drive where they will head west. The route continues through the south campus neighborhood to south on Ash Avenue.

From Ash Avenue, bicyclists will head west on Knapp Street to South Sheldon Avenue, where they will head north to Arbor Street. The route continues west on Arbor Street to State Avenue where the group will visit the Baker Subdivision and continue south on State Avenue to the site of the new fire station which will be relocated from Welch Avenue.

At the intersection of State Avenue and Mortensen Road, bicyclists will travel east on Mortensen Road to University Boulevard. The route will continue north on University Boulevard to South Fourth Street and Stuart Smith Park. From the park, bicyclists will follow the shared-use path to South Hazel Avenue where they head north to North Second Street and turn east. The route will include a stop at the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center.

After a brief visit at the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center, bicyclists can return to City Hall by taking North Second Street to South Hazel Avenue to Sixth Street.

Bike to Work Week Breakfast

In celebration of National Bike Month, Mayor Haila and City Council members will kick off Bike to Work Week by hosting a free Bike Commuter Continental Breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. on Monday, May 11, in front of City Hall. Bicyclists are invited to stop by for a snack and beverage on their way to work or school.

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