Area-News

Update (7/2/2012): The program has reopened. Read about it here. [flickr id=“7253069806” thumbnail=“small” overlay=“true” size=“large” group="" align=“right”] After only two weeks in operation, all bikes belonging to the Spokies Bike Share program have been removed from the racks. Citing problems with the credit card software and a design flaw in the bikes that has “led to incidents of theft and vandalism”, the Oklahoma City Office of Sustainability and Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc. [Read More]

I had really hoped to make it to last night’s Piedmont Cyclist Awareness Ride but the constraints of work just didn’t make it possible. Thankfully, dozens of other cyclists showed up to raise awareness of cyclists on our roads and to pay tribute to Gary Caldwell and Eric Johnson who were injured on this same road last week. The Piedmont-Surrey Gazette, which has followed the story closely, put together this video piece on the event: [Read More]

[caption id=“attachment_1204” align=“alignright” width=“200” caption=“OKC Mayor Mick Cornett”][/caption] Mick Cornett, Republican Mayor of Oklahoma City along with Eugene A. Conti, Jr., Secretary of Transportation, N.C. and Steve Heminger, Exec. Dir., Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission have written an editorial in The Hill urging the House to reconsider many of the controversial measures in the current transportation bill including the removal of funding for both walking and bicycling initiatives. After thanking the House for restoring funding to public transportation and asking for an effective bridge repair plan, the editorial goes on to ask the House to restore both Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancement funding: [Read More]

Sorry for the short notice, but I missed this one somehow. However, tonight (March 8th) , the City of Edmond will kick off its bicycle master plan development process with an open house: City of Edmond invites you to participate in the Bicycle Master Plan Open House from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, March 8 in the Downtown Community Center. The Bicycle Master Plan will identify a network of connected bicycle facilities that will serve all areas of the city. [Read More]

[caption id=“attachment_1143” align=“alignright” width=“150” caption=“Staff Photo of Pastor Gary Caldwell”][/caption] I’ve received numerous questions and have a small amount of new information regarding the crash on Monday that involved Pastor Gary Caldwell of the First Baptist Church of Piedmont and church staff member, Eric Johnson. Pastor Still in Serious Condition From comments, emails and news stories, it seems that Mr. Caldwell suffered several broken bones and lacerations including a broken vertebrae, ankle and pelvis and loss of his right ear. [Read More]

Gary Caldwell, senior pastor for the First Baptist Church of Piedmont and church staff member, Eric Johnson, were struck from behind by a Ford F-150 pickup while cycling near 150th Street and Piedmont Road today around 12:45 PM. As of this afternoon, Mr. Caldwell is listed as being in serious condition and Mr. Johnson was listed as being in good condition. Police are investigating the case but the driver was not ticked at the scene. [Read More]

News 9 is reporting that police are seeking the driver of a car who struck a cyclist on Monday morning near 31st and Military. The driver initially stopped and asked the cyclist, Bill Hartman, if he was hurt, but then when Mr. Hartman said, “Yes, I am hurt”, the driver said he was sorry but then fled the scene. The driver was middle-aged, wore glasses and had light brown hair. The vehicle is described as a small, gold colored beat-up car. [Read More]

The relationship between cyclists and the town of Jones, Oklahoma has traditionally been, at best, a rocky one and at worst, an outright hostile one. Quiet two lane roads and beautiful, hilly routes have attracted large number of cyclists to the area. However the poor behavior of some cyclists have caused negative reactions from area law enforcement and businesses against the cycling community. Thankfully, the situation continues to dramatically improve and thanks to the work of the Oklahoma Bicycling Coalition (OBC), Jones, Oklahoma will now host its own annual cycling event, The Hogback Attack Bike Ride: [Read More]

[flickr id=“5253252214” thumbnail=“medium” overlay=“false” size=“small” group="" align=“center”] Bike sharing programs are the rage around the world and across the nation (the photo above is of the DC bike share program, Capital Bikeshare). Oklahoma City first announced the program back in August and additional details were announced yesterday at the Oklahoma City Council meeting. According to NewsOK, the program has been given an official name of “Spokies” and will consist of 95 bicycles (up from 90) placed at six stations in the downtown Oklahoma City area. [Read More]