Business Is Booming for Monday’s Headlines

Business owners often fret when a bike lane is installed nearby, especially if it involves removing parking. But they shouldn't.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on March 11, 2024

Seattle DOT|

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Seattle bike lane in 2023.

Every recent, reliable study ever done on the economic impact of bike lanes shows that they're neutral or beneficial for local businesses' bottom lines. The fact that business owners usually oppose them may be an artifact of failed efforts to compete with car-centric shopping malls decades ago. (Business Insider)
Electric vehicles won't solve the climate crisis or make streets safer, according to a new study. Only fewer cars and less driving will do that. (Bloomberg)
Los Angeles voters' overwhelming approval of Measure HLA shows that residents do want safer, walkable and bikeable streets even in the heart of U.S. car culture. (L.A. Times, Governing)
Baltimore transportation officials know they need to build more bike lanes faster (Sun), but the issue remains a controversial one (CBS News). Here's where mayoral candidates stand on bike lanes (Fishbowl).
The latest drafts of the I-5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver, Washington include bike lanes. (Bike Portland)
Minneapolis Mayor Trevor Frye vowed to veto a pay hike for Uber and Lyft drivers even though the city council passed it with a veto-proof majority (Star Tribune). Meanwhile, if the ride-hailing apps do leave as threatened, taxi companies say they have the technology to pick up the slack (CBS News).
Dallas officials are skeptical of a proposed high-speed rail line to Fort Worth and Arlington. (KERA)
Ridership on Milwaukee's streetcar was up 30 percent last year. (Journal-Sentinel)
Hillsborough County has started installing bike boxes on Tampa streets. (ABC Action News)
Richmond is building the infrastructure, but achieving Vision Zero will also require cultural changes, advocates say. (Virginia Public Media)
A new report supports efforts to decriminalize jaywalking in Hawaii. (KITV)
Seattle's Veo e-bike/scooter/thingy-share has "paused" operations but pledges to return. (Seattle Bike Blog)