NYC-to-Philadelphia Greenway Ride update

We are grateful for the support and excitement for the inaugural 2020 New York City-to-Philadelphia Greenway Ride. Nearly 300 generous riders have committed to participating and have raised significant support for further development of the East Coast Greenway in the region.

As we shared last week, the East Coast Greenway Alliance has been closely monitoring developments related to coronavirus COVID-19 and tracking recommendations from organizations such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the World Health Organization. As an organization dedicated to promoting and fostering public health, we are deeply concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic and its ramifications for the people throughout our 15 states, 450 communities and beyond. We hope that you and your loved ones are safe, healthy and practicing recommended social distancing.

Following the CDC’s March 15 recommendation that “for the next 8 weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States,” our team has made the proactive decision to postpone the 2020 New York City-to-Philadelphia Greenway Ride.

It is our hope to announce a fall 2020 date for the ride as soon as government and health officials deem it is appropriate to do so, and we’ll share scheduling updates as soon as we are able. We will continue to work in conjunction with the events team at Global Impact Productions (GIP) and our local government partners to organize a safe event for all involved. The only thing more important to us than rider experience is rider safety and well-being. Our staff and partners at GIP have been working diligently for months to organize an enjoyable and impactful ride, and that hard work will continue.

Any fundraising donations that have already secured toward the originally scheduled May event will be applied to the rescheduled ride. When the new event date is set, we will share information on an updated fundraising timeline. As stated on the FAQ page for the event and in the registration portal, “ride fees are non-refundable.” Should riders opt not to participate in the 2020 ride, the registration fee and any fundraising completed to date can be rolled into the planned 2021 event.

Following our update last week, we know many registered riders have been eager for additional information. We’re grateful for your patience and understanding, as we all navigate these uncertain times together. We understand that this decision may prompt additional questions, and our team is standing by ready to assist. Please contact us via email at nyctophilly@greenway.org.

As a nonprofit focused on connecting people to place across a 3,000-mile route, your continued support goes a long way toward building a healthy, sustainable future and ensuring that more miles of safe, protected trails continue to improve the Greenway experience.

Many trails along the route from New York City to Philadelphia remain open despite the closure of facilities and cancellation of events. Greenways and trails are a key outlet for healthy, stress-relieving activity when used responsibly with social distancing. Everyone deserves connected greenways as a gateway to an active, healthy life. Together, we can get through this.

Dennis Markatos-Soriano Executive Director, East Coast Greenway Alliance