The Tulsa Route 66 Commission generally does good things for the Mother Road in northeast Oklahoma, but this story from KTUL caught my eye for a less-positive reason:
If you drive the four-mile stretch of 11th Street, you’ll pass 59 used car dealerships.
“It’s car lot after car lot, which is really not engaging people in a meaningful way,” said Ken Busby with the Route 66 Commission.
And it doesn’t end there; there are multiple auto repair and tire shops. You could say this part of the Mother Road has turned into a car industry, and according to the Route 66 Commission, that’s not something to be proud of. […]
The group is planning to draft a letter to support the city council and the planning committee to take action on the issue. They would like to see a zoning change or a zoning code to prevent new auto-related businesses from coming to this area. They’re not trying to get rid of the existing auto shops but to bring in other businesses.
As a capitalist and as a person who thinks Route 66 shouldn’t be sanitized so much it resembles an ultra-clean version of Disney World, this stance by the commission rubs me the wrong way.
Car lots and tire shops serve the public in a useful way. They generate a lot of sales tax revenue for a city’s coffers because we’re talking high-dollar purchases here. And it seems Route 66 and automotive-related businesses are linked as naturally as breathing.
The irony of Tulsa opposing a business sector that’s intrinsically linked to oil — which turned the city into an economic powerhouse — wasn’t lost on me.
Route 66 represents a microcosm of America. Route 66 shows America, warts and all, and should be regarded as such. Route 66 includes car lots and tire shops.
Another reason to leave well enough alone is Tulsa’s downtown renaissance has filtered down to 11th Street (aka Route 66) and moved gradually east. If the commission wants more desirable and varied businesses, those already have been occurring and will continue to do so.
Like I said, the Tulsa Route 66 Commission has done good work, especially in recent years. But on this issue, I’d quietly drop it and work on something more substantive.
(Image of Arnie’s Auto Sales along Route 66 in Tulsa by Stu Rapley via Flickr)
The commission sounds very elitist— which is the antithesis of what 66 has ever been. Too bad they can’t just focus on fixing the 11th street bridge instead.
Maybe the commission could offer $$ rebates if the used car dealerships design their signs to have a 40s or 50s motif so it’s in line with how the mother road should look?
WHAT A CROCK!! Most municipalities would be glad to have successful businesses paying taxes. Unless they are dirty or unkempt, I thot this was AMERICA, where the free enterprise system was a way of life. Remember this at election time and don’t support the “Commision”!!
No, that would be too positive and productive, which takes effort. Better to convince government to use force and/or coercion to accomplish your ends. It’s cheaper and easier.
Tulsa Route 66 Commission seems to have no problem with shops selling food or serving diners. When obesity is one of the countries biggest [sic] causes of ill health.
Idiots.