Buffalo, NY (WBEN) – The 2023 “Skyride” takes place on Sunday along the Buffalo Skyway. GoBike Buffalo says 1,500 riders will take part in a unique ride on a highway off-road.
GoBike Buffalo’s Kevin Heffernan says the goal is to make the event a regional raffle, and with 1,500 riders participating, they’re close to achieving that goal. “People are coming from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Downstate, Ontario,” Heffernan says.
Online registration closes at 12:00 PM ET on Friday, but you can register in person on Sunday.
Heffernan said SkyRide will close the Skyway from 6 a.m. ET to noon on Sunday. The Skyway closure will also limit access to Interstate 190. Heffernan says you can go south and take South Park to the Ridge and from there go south. Heading north, he says, Ridge Road is as far as Highway 5 goes. “Then you can take the same detour and go north through South Park or Abbott into the city,” he said, taking the 190 from anywhere. other than that.
The event will feature Skyrace for the first time at 7am ET, followed by a traditional ride at 8:45am ET. A post-race party will be held at the Outer Harbor Concert Venue. Heffernan said it’s rain or shine and has seen weather forecasts go haywire over the past few days. “Even if it rains, people wear raincoats and have fun anyway. If there is thunder, we delay a few minutes to allow the event to continue. Strong wind warnings also postpone or postpone the event, but fortunately In fact, in my last nine rides, I’ve never seen such high winds early in the morning,” says Heffernan.
Few cities have a skyway-like bridge so close to the downtown area or one of the Great Lakes, Heffernan said. “It’s rare to be 40 feet up in the air and have the incredible view and the excitement of being there,” says Heffernan. He added that it is also a chance for cyclists to get the feeling of riding without cars or trucks around them. “Once people experience that feeling, they want more of it. Sometimes people can feel that feeling for the first time, so they tend to be more supportive of these projects,” Heffernan added.
