Do Bike Lanes Actually Cause Business Loss?

In an opinion for Streetsblog Chicago, Courtney Cobbs cites a Block Club Chicago article that claims that bike lanes installed on Milwaukee Avenue led to a loss of revenue for local businesses, such as a decades-old hardware store. "[Store owner Alan Gillman] claims that the repurposing of car storage into a curbside bike lane has 'ruined' his 75 year old hardware store, Gillman Ace hardware at 2118-2120 N. Milwaukee Ave. He claims that business is down 'at least a third' since the lanes were installed in fall 2020, and that he has had to lay off an employee, and may close the business." The Block Club Chicago article goes on to say that "Gillman claims that due to a lack of convenient car storage, he lost customers."

"Unfortunately, there was not much investigative journalism in the article to actually back up the claims that bike lanes are responsible for the decline in business," Cobbs notes. "There was no exploration as to whether Gilman tried other methods to attract more business or if he had even received direct complaints mentioning a lack of car storage from customers or potential customers." Meanwhile, the effects of a global pandemic on supply chains and household economics have had significant impacts on purchasing patterns.

Other business owners support the bike lanes, saying that plenty of metered parking remains available on Milwaukee.

Cobbs warns that the "irresponsible" Block Club Chicago article could lead aldermen and businesspeople to oppose bike lanes on similar grounds, despite a lack of evidence that bike lanes are a significant factor in business loss.