This is a bicycle rack, installed at Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA. It is also a piece of cool street art in the shape of a molecular model. (Hint: it is a substance almost iconic to Kendall Square, gateway to MIT and a number of high tech companies).
Another nod to the geeky nature of the place are these two sine-wave bike racks in front of Legal's Sea Food. These pictures were taken in quiet moments on Thanksgiving weekend.
Over in Beantown at Downtown Crossing, there is a bike rack which incorporates a bicycle in the word "Boston" using the two round letters for bike wheels. It's nearly invisible among the bikes, which is exactly how you'd like a bike rack to be!
These playful bike racks reflect the serious ongoing effort in Boston and Cambridge to reduce their transportation emissions. The subway and bus networks are being upgraded and expanded. Bicycle lanes are popping up everywhere, and both cities have extensive bikeshare programs. Creative bike racks signal to residents and visitors alike that bike use is cool.
Now that
we have a Bicycle mobility plan in place for Princeton, wouldn't if be great to have a Princeton-themed bike rack, say on Witherspoon Street? Perhaps in the shape of the 08540 bike logo? Designed by Steve Kruse, the former bike committee chair, the clever logo incorporates not only a bicycle but also its rider!
If you have ideas for making it happen, please contact the bike committee.