Submitted by Tara Johnson
Oklahoma City has installed 35 new bike racks in the most popular business areas in and around its downtown area. The new racks are coated with black polyurea, which is also used to coat the beds of pickup tracks to prevent scratching. Urbanites with high quality biking equipment can feel safe locking their bikes to these racks knowing that their bikes won't get scratched.
This forward thinking is a sign of the times, as leaders are trying to build up the city's center. Urbanites can bike to and from their lofts, apartments and condominiums to work, shop, and play. The city center is emerging as a hot spot to live with the recent announcement of a downtown grocery store, the development of Bricktown, Deep Deuce, and Automobile Alley, and the new NBA team.
People are moving into the area and enjoying being able to live, play, and work within biking or walking distance, which cuts down on pollution and using unrenewable resources for transportation.
The new bicycle racks also are a sign of the city's new attitude. The city as a whole has a new outlook on exercise and wellness. People are wanting to get out and experience all the city has to offer and feel safer using their bikes to get around. Installing bike racks is a simple way to support this new culture, making it easier for citizens to live healthier and feel good about making steps to get green.
Oklahoma is filled with salt-of-the-earth people. The average Oklahoman knows hard work and hard play. Oklahomans love their land and want to pass it on to the next generation better than they found it. This is one initiative that will ensure that Oklaohma's native beauty is preserved.
Photo Caption: Oklahoma City skyline, spring 2008. (Photo Courtesy of puroticorico via Flickr)
