Motorists are being urged to become bicyclists, transit riders or pedestrians for at least one day a week, starting Friday.

From 8 to 10 a.m., the Car-Free Friday project, an initiative of Bike Pittsburgh, will kick off with an event at Schenley Plaza in Oakland, featuring free breakfast. Also that morning, Downtown bicycle riders who show their helmets can partake of a free light breakfast at Fifth Avenue Place.

Those who attend either event will receive coupons for discounts at more than two dozen local businesses.

"Breaking away from the one-person one-car mode is in everybody's interest. We urge people not only to participate on [Friday], but to be car-free every Friday, and more often if possible," said Lynn Manion, executive director of the Airport Corridor Transportation Association, one of three transportation management associations supporting the event.

Port Authority, which is co-sponsoring the event with Whole Foods Market and the Mullen advertising agency, said nearly two-thirds of its buses now have bicycle racks.

Those buses operate on 12 routes: 11D Perrysville, 21A Coraopolis, 26A Ingram-Sheraden, 26D Chartiers City, 54C North Side-Oakland-South Side, 56C McKeesport-Lincoln Place, 59U SouthSide Works-Oakland-Waterfront, 71A Negley, 77D Highland-Friendship, 77F Morningside-Friendship, 77G Stanton Heights-Friendship and 500 Highland Park-Bellevue.

Bikes also are permitted on Light Rail Transit vehicles and the inclines but not during rush hours, 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6:30 p.m.

Port Authority staff will participate in the Schenley Plaza event and demonstrate how to use bus bike racks.

More information is available at http://bike-pgh.org/events/car-free-fridays or www.portauthority.org.