OHIO RIVER TRAIL COUNCIL

With good reason, the rise of the protected bike lane in North America is showing little signs of slowing down. A new report from PeopleForBikes and the Alliance for Biking & Walking makes a clear connection between more accessible and connected bicycle infrastructure and creating prosperity in our cities.

 

Combining the latest academic and technical research with original reporting, "Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business" tracks four trends spurring demand for better bike lanes:

     1. The Great Urban Rebound – Cities experiencing a resurgence in residential growth are looking for ways to cope with harmful and costly congestion.

     2. The Battle for Human Capital – Businesses looking for a competitive edge in attracting top talent are positioning themselves in areas served by better bicycle infrastructure.

     3. Rising Health Care Costs – Promoting and supporting active lifestyles can help cities and businesses cope with record health care costs.

     4. Planning for Wealth, Not Traffic – Cars don't spend money: people do.

 

Illustrating each of these trends in action, "Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business" features hard data from existing infrastructure and interviews with 15 businesspeople in Austin, TX; San Francisco, CA; Portland, OR; Chicago, IL; and Washington, DC.

 

“These data and testimonials from business leaders make it very clear that, as a nation, we need to prioritize investments in 21st century transportation networks where bicycling plays a key role,” said Jeffrey Miller, President/ CEO of the Alliance for Biking & Walking. “This is an especially timely finding given that Congress is beginning work on a new federal transportation bill. Protected bike lanes help businesses thrive — in today’s world and in the context of our nation’s shifting demographics.”

 

“More and more communities across the country are investing in protected bike lanes — and for good reason. These lanes are part of the solution to getting small and large businesses back on their feet,” said Martha Roskowski, PeopleForBikes vice president of local innovation. “Just in the past two years, we’ve seen the total mileage of protected bike lanes in the U.S. nearly double, and we expect this growth to continue.”

 

Read the full report here (PDF): Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business