On Friday, Great Bend Street Department personnel began installing bicycle awareness signs along what will become the city’s first bike route. It follows 19th Street west to McKinley and McKinley south to the Sports Complex.
Last week, city Parks Department staff poured four concrete slabs on the Courthouse Square. Once the concrete has cured, they will install four bicycle racks.
City officials also held back 10 bicycles from the recent city auction and gave them to the Be Well Barton County leadership team, which is promoting easier and safer biking and walking. These will be used to promote bike use in Great Bend.
Also recently, Barton County Road and Bridge Department employees started placing bike signs on routes throughout the county.
Wow. There is a lot being done and a lot of progress being made and we should all be proud.
There have been countless hours put in by many volunteers to help make our hometown more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. The time involved can be measured in years.
We are finally seeing the fruits of all that labor.
The above initiatives involve the cooperation of Be Well Barton County, the city and the county, as well as Volunteers in Action. None of this would have happened without this joint effort.
This is a shining example of what can happen when private and public entities hold hands and share the load.
Granted, there is still much to be done, such as public education and comprehensive policy work. But, the momentum is building.
Let’s keep it rolling.
Dale Hogg