CREATING CONNECTIONS _______________________ CREATING BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES 2013 Pedal MN Bicycle Summit Alison Dewey
According to the UN, one major common theme among the worlds happiest nations is “Happy people rides bicycles – by choice”
NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT MARCH 3-5, 2014
ADVOCACY ADVANCE
SMART CYCLING EDUCATION
BICYCLE FRIENDLY AMERICA PROGRAM
NATIONAL BIKE CHALLENGE
WOMEN BIKE & EQUITY ADVISORY COUNCIL
Growth in Bike Commuting American Community Survey, 70 largest U.S. Cities 85% 61% 47%
Where people want to live, work and visit Mercer International Quality of Life Ranking: 7 of 8 U.S. cities are BFCs Forbes Healthiest Cities 15 of top 20 are BFCs
Where economies are strong Businessweek’s “Best Places to Ride out the Recession” 17 of 20 are BFCs
CYCLING CONNECTS >> HAPPY CUSTOMERS TO BUSINESSES
…& IMPROVE BUSINESS Photo: Andy Clarke Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 2/3 of merchants say bike lanes had an overall positive effect on business Drennen, Emily, “Economic Effects of Traffic Calming on Urban Small Businesses,” San Francisco, CA
LANES LEAD TO SALES… Protected bicycle lanes led to a 49% increase in retail sales at local businesses New York City Department of Transportation. Measuring the Street: New Metrics for 21 st Century Streets. NYC, Manhattan
PEOPLE ON BIKE AND FOOT SPEND MORE PER WEEK Transportation Alternatives. East Village Shoppers Study: A Snapshot of Travel and Spending Patterns of Residents and Visitors in the East Village. Oct 1, East Village, NYC
“BUT WE NEED AUTO PARKING…RIGHT?”
ASK THE MERCHANTS 75% of merchants said business would improve or stay the same if HALF the on-street parking was removed Clean Air Partnership, “Bike Lanes, On-Street Parking and Business: A study of Bloor Street in Toronto’s Annex Neighborhood,” February 2009 Bloor Street, ON, CA
BIKE CORALS FIT MORE VEHICLES Time Out Chicago, “Chicago's first on-street bike parking corral installed,” May 18, 2011 Chicago, Il Portland, OR, converted 107 car spots to 1,140 bike parking spaces 12 times more bikes than cars at Wicker Park coral
BIKE PARKING COSTS LESS $15,000 average cost of one structured parking space $ cost for one bike parking space
“FINE, BUT WE’RE NOT LIKE THOSE PLACES”
BICYCLE FRIENDLY BUSINESSES
BICYCLING & THE STATEWIDE ECONOMY
WISCONSIN
IOWA
MINNESOTA
VERMONT
NORTH CAROLINA
WASHINGTON, DC
COST EFFECTIVE TRANSPORTATION
WHAT WILL $30 MILLION BUY? One mile of Street Widening Yale Avenue, Tulsa, OK Source: Tulsa Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee
600 miles Source: Tulsa Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee WHAT WILL $30 MILLION BUY? 600 miles of quality bike lanes
100 miles of sidewalk WHAT WILL $30 MILLION BUY? Source: Tulsa Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee
300 miles Source: Tulsa Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee WHAT WILL $30 MILLION BUY? 300 miles of buffered bike lanes
120 miles WHAT WILL $30 MILLION BUY? Tulsa Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee 120 miles of bike boulevards
30 miles Source: Tulsa Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee WHAT WILL $30 MILLION BUY? 30 miles of bike trails
20 miles Tulsa Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee WHAT WILL $30 MILLION BUY? 20 miles of physically separated cycle tracks
2,000 units Source: Tulsa Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee WHAT WILL $30 MILLION BUY? 2,000 Rapid Flashing Beacons
WHAT WILL $30 MILLION BUY? One mile of Street Widening Yale Avenue, Tulsa, OK Source: Tulsa Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee
ENTIRE NETWORK FOR THE COST OF 1 MILE OF URBAN FREEWAY Portland, OR Reuters ~$60 million
ENTIRE NETWORK FOR THE COST OF 1 MILE OF URBAN FREEWAY Portland, OR Reuters ~$60 million
JOBS.
BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK For every dollar spent, bike projects create 1.5x the jobs of road projects Source: Garrett-Peltier, Heidi, Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure: A National Study of Employment Impacts, Political Economy Research Institute University of Massachusetts, Amherst, June 2011 Less $ for materials = more for salaries
PLACES PEOPLE LOVE
SMART COMPANIES USE BIKES TO MAKE SALES… Photo: Darren Flusche …SO DO SMART COMMUNITIES
BICYCLING SELLS REAL ESTATE
PROXIMITY TO TRAILS RAISES HOME VALUES Monon Trail, Indianapolis Otherwise identical houses Worth 11% more for every half mile closer to trail
HEALTH SAVINGS SAVE THE BOTTOM LINE
EMPLOYERS SAVE ON HEALTHCARE Quality Bicycle Parts Bloomington, MN “Quality Bike Products Health and Wellbeing Program” Report 2007 – 2011 QBP launched “Bike to Work” incentive Average health care costs increased 24.6% QBP’s health care costs decreased 4.4% Saving $169,880
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Providing a Roadmap for a Bicycle Friendly America Setting targets and options for any place Benchmarking Facilitates partnership between advocates & decision makers Hands-on assistance from staff Award designation and media promotion
What is the BFA Program Started in 1996 with the BFC program Updated program in Award levels: Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Program recognizes communities for bicycle friendliness and provides roadmap and assistance to become better.
Application Criteria Engineering Education Encouragement Enforcement (except in BFB) Evaluation & Planning Online application bikeleague.org/community
BFC Snapshot 257 BFCs in 47 states Three Platinum BFCs – Boulder, CO; Davis, CA; Portland, OR Six BFCs in MN : Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Bemidji, Rochester, Grand Rapids, Greater Mankato, with more to come!
BFB Snapshot Started in BFBs in 43 states Minn. BFBs include: IBM, Northwestern Mutual, Ameriprise Financial, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, City of Mineapolis Minnesota needs 3M and Target to join the ranks.
BFU Snapshot Launched in Designated BFUs in 30 states Stanford U – only Platinum Two BFUs in the state: University of MN, Twin Cities Gustavus Adolphus College
Benefits of applying We knew this recognition would be important to our civic and business leaders, and that the metrics set out in the League’s application would be important measures for us.” - Allan Crawford, Bike Long Beach Photo: Allan Crawford
Providing Feedback for a Bicycle Friendly America
Celebrating the Award
Pre-application Tools bikeleague.org/bfa Use BFC Scorecard for self- assessment Review the application and resources yourself to see how bicycle-friendly you are today
Resourceful Connected Knowledgeable AND Effective
Online resource library
Thank you.