April ShepherdsonFeb 4, 2023
Mark Abraham

#NYC installed bike lanes on Skillman Ave in Queens, removing 116 parking spots. “Cyclists loved the plan, but local business owners went ballistic.” But “after the bike lanes arrived, businesses on Skillman saw sales rise by 12%, compared to 3% for Queens in general. What’s more, that section of road saw new businesses open, while Queens overall had a net loss.”

https://www.wired.com/story/the-battle-over-bike-lanes-needs-a-mindset-shift/ #urbanplanning #urbanism #econdev #cities #smallbusiness #BikeTooter #bikenyc

The Battle Over Bike Lanes Needs a Mindset Shift

Installing protected routes tends to boost local shops. But many store owners remain attached to their street parking—and fight to protect it.

WIRED
Feb 2, 2023 at 5:35pmWeb
Show threadFernheadFeb 2, 2023
@urbandata The benefits to merchants when cyclists have safe accessibility to their shops and restaurants is recorded in instances everywhere around the world.
Show threadjeffreyw1Feb 2, 2023
@urbandata NYC shop owners were probably complaining more about losing their personal parking spots than about losing spots for their customers.
Show threadAnthonyFeb 6, 2023
@urbandata clarification: skillman already had an unprotected lane. The switch to protected also included daylighting pedestrian crossings, which removed 3-4 spots per block. The opposite direction 39th Ave had the same change.
Show threadAnthonyFeb 6, 2023
@urbandata the 116 includes both, and a good chunk of that was actually at the tail end of skull man alongside the rail yards and not in the shopping district.