A new study of the benefits of a bike lane project in Salt Lake City adds to the body of work suggesting that complete streets overhauls are a good investment for both the public and the private sectors.
"A growing body of evidence suggests that if bike lanes and parking removal are part of a general plan to slow traffic, everybody can win," according to a post by Michael Anderson. The latest example: Salt Lake City, where a recently released study "found that when parking removal was done as part of a wide-ranging investment in the streetscape — including street planters, better crosswalks, public art and colored pavement — it converted parking spaces to high-quality bike lanes and boosted business at the same time."
Anderson provides details on the nine-block bike lane project, located in the city's historic downtown business corridor, as well as some of the findings of the report. The bike lane required parking reductions, parking reconfigurations, and fewer vehicle travel lanes. The kicker on the difference the new bike lane made: sales rose 8.8 percent along the corridor after the street configuration overhaul, compared to 7 percent citywide.
Anderson is also careful to note, that the jump in bike traffic on the street that came as a result of the new bike lane is probably not solely responsible for the jump in sales: "But that's probably not the main reason for the sales jump. Instead — as on New York City streets, which found extremely similar results in a similar 2013 study of sales tax data — Salt Lake City's experience shows that bike lanes are typically best for business when they're part of a general rethinking of the street to make it a more pleasant place to linger."
FULL STORY: SALT LAKE CITY STREET REMOVES PARKING, ADDS BIKE LANES AND SALES GO UP

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Four Reasons Urban Planners Can’t Ignore AI
It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape planning, but how. That how is up to us.

Bend, Deschutes County Move to Restrict Major Homeless Encampment
City and county officials are closing off portions of an area known as Juniper Ridge where many unhoused residents find shelter, hoping to direct people to housing and supportive services.

High Housing Costs Driving Down Transit Ridership in LA
When neighborhoods gentrify and displace lower-income residents, transit ridership suffers, new research shows.

Iowa Legalizes Accessory Dwelling Units
A new law will allow property owners to build ADUs on single-family lots starting on July 1.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada