Brendan: If you’ve seen any of our past videos, it’s no surprise that, here at PLANifax, we are big fans of active transportation.
Megan: It’s a fun and healthy way of getting around.
Brendan: Sure that's nice and all, but here at PLANifax, we are all about that green.
Megan: Like the environment? Brendan: No, like cold hard cash baby - make it rain!!
PLANifax presents Active Transportation Economics (Please consider sponsoring this closed caption!)
Megan: When it comes to active transportation, planners, environmentalists, and health professionals all support in increasing healthy, cleaner ways of getting around.
Brendan: See, there you go again putting the majority of your emphasis on silly little things like the environment or health.
Brendan: When’s the last time the environment pay for bike lanes?
Megan: It is true that the biggest barrier to active transportation is infrastructure, and good sidewalks, bike lanes, trails and greenways are necessary to helping people to get out of their cars and use active transportation.
Megan: But, there is actually a solid financial case to invest in active transportation infrastructure. So pedal it back a bit and I'll explain it to you.
Megan: On average, a bike lane only costs $20,000/km to build. This might seem like a lot of money, but not when you compare it the cost of building roads.
Megan: Just widening an already-existing street to handle more traffic costs an average of $1.3 million/km. That might be the most inefficient way to spend tax dollars…
Megan: ...as the majority of that road space is occupied by car engines and empty seats.
Brendan: Because active transportation infrastructure doesn’t have giant metal boxes moving over it all day, it has to be replaced and fixed far less often than roads.
Brendan: This means theoretically, our bike lanes could theoretically outlive us all.
Brendan: Keep in mind that this doesn't account for weather, which tends to do its own fair share of infrastructure damage.
Brendan: But wait - if we build more active transportation infrastructure and more people use it, then we will have to spend more money to maintain it?
Megan: Well, yes, but even then the cost is pennies on the dollar.
Megan: In all of the Netherlands, only 6% of the money spent on road infrastructure is spent on bicycle facilities, yet cycling makes up 27% of all journeys.
Brendan: If active transportation infrastructure costs less to build, costs less to maintain, is better for the environment, and is healthier...why aren’t municipalities building more?
Megan: Well, politics are often influenced by money. And businesses have money, so they often get a say in saying what councils will and won’t approve.
Brendan: Ohhh...and businesses hate active transportation infrastructure!
Brendan: Well, actually, they hate giving up room for cars. And they have a good reason to be worried about roads being narrowed or giving up parking spaces.
Brendan: I mean, you have to think about the customers.
Megan: It is true, but often times, business owners overestimate the number of customers that come by car.
Megan: Studies from all over the world have shown that business owners underestimate the number of customers that use active transportation and typically overestimated the number of customers that drive by 100%.
Megan: A study conducted in Toronto found that 78% of retail visitors wanted to see active transportation improvements in their neighbourhood and that customers who arrived by foot and bicycle visit the most often and spend the most money per month.
Brendan: Now that I think about it, business areas that have great active transportation infrastructure do perform very well.
Brendan: A worldwide study found that retail areas that see improved active transportation infrastructure experience a 49% upward trend in retail turnover.
Brendan: One of the best examples is Lodi, California, where 20 years ago, the city completed a $4.5 million dollar pedestrian retrofit to widen sidewalks, add bump outs and streetscape elements.
Brendan: Since then, the project has been directly linked to the establishment of 60 new businesses, a decrease in vacancy rates from 18% to 6% and a 30% increase in sales tax revenues.
Brendan: But this is only one example out of dozens of projects that show how increasing active transportation in an area also increases business revenue or value.
Megan: And don’t think that you need California beaches to benefit from active transportation.
Megan: Dozens of countries with similar climates to Nova Scotia have very high percentages of active transportation users, including Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
Megan: And the benefit of good active transportation infrastructure doesn’t just end with increases in revenue.
Megan: It frees up remaining parking spots by reducing parking demand, reduces congestion around business and makes the area more inviting, and it encourage your employees to be more active - resulting in less sick days and lower health claims.
Brendan: But the biggest reason for business to support active transportation infrastructure is a changing market demographic.
Brendan: Younger generations are moving away from private automobiles with fewer North American teens even bothering to get their driver's license.
Brendan: We also need to consider our own aging population - like how long will our pensioners will be able to safely drive, or how many of them will be able to keep up with car-associated costs?
Brendan: With the current clientele aging, future clientele being less interested in visiting car-oriented areas, and everyone starting to become a little more frugal...
Brendan: ...business owners can find themselves left behind for more “hip” competition.
Megan: If you want to help your community or business by increasing active transportation, make sure that you show up and give your support at public meetings
Megan: and remind your local councillor or politician that active transportation is important to you as a voter and constituent.
Brendan: And remember - the next time you’re out at a local business, let them know how much you enjoyed being able to walk or bike there, or comment on the lack of active transportation infrastructure.
Brendan: It's important to remind business owners, councillors, and even friends and neighbors that customers walk, bike and take the bus.
Brendan: So get out there, and spend that money!