April 8, 2024 - Four decades’ worth of research proves that making streets friendlier for bikes — and sidewalks friendlier for pedestrians — is actually good for business, yet some business owners continue fighting bike lanes coast to coast reports Business Insider.
Survey after survey has shown that business owners overestimate how many of their customers drive to their stores, versus walking or biking – the actual number is much lower i.e. 15% in a shopping corridor in Los Angeles.
In one case study in Seattle, bike lanes had a neutral affect on one business district yet did not reduce sales, while in another, when bike lanes replaced 12 parking spaces, sales quadrupled.
Across the country, again and again, the numbers told the same story: either “business activity remained pretty much constant, or certain types of businesses became much more prosperous.”
One way to combat any resistance is to provide financial data, revenue numbers, sales taxes, credit-card receipts, employment figures. Another method is to provide financial assistance if sales decline.
The most effective way to deal with opposition from local businesses is to just get the bike lanes built because in the long run, everyone winds up satisfied and it becomes the new normal.
The rise of “complete streets” and “road diets,” as urban planners call them, has been a huge boon to businesses in cities, and while data may prove that bike lanes are good for business, nothing beats experiencing them.
Read the full report by Adam Rogers here.
