economics

Bike lanes can be good for business, reports the Clean Air Partnership in their report, Bike Lanes, On-street Parking and Business (pdf). The study was conducted partly (mostly?) by the former TCAT project lead, Fred Sztabinski (as far as I know). The study focused on the Bloor Annex area, interviewing merchants and patrons in the area. The surprising result is that few patrons arrive by car and businesses will suffer little and may gain much if on-street parking is removed for bike lanes. As you can see by the photo I chose from last year's Bells on Bloor ride, this is good fodder for making Bloor into a Tooker freeway for cyclists.

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blockquote>Contrary to common public perception, the evidence shows that removing on-street parking to install a bicycle lane or widened sidewalk would likely increase not decrease commercial activity. "This report should alleviate concerns that downtown business owners have about on-street bicycle lanes", said Eva Ligeti, Executive Director of the Clean Air Partnership.

The study – conducted in July of 2008 – surveyed the opinions and preferences of merchants and patrons on Bloor Street and analyzed parking usage data in the Annex area. Among the study’s findings:

• Only 10% of patrons drive to the Bloor Annex neighbourhood;