Increased cycling is good for JP!

It’s good for our health
• Obesity is on the rise in youths and adults in Boston. Cycling is great exercise!
• Auto pollution is responsible for increased respiratory problems

It’s good for the community
• Getting people out of cars leads to more personal interactions among neighbors, fostering community
• People on foot and bike are more aware of their surroundings, which can enhance neighborhood safety

It’s good for the local economy
• Cyclists and walkers are more likely to shop locally compared to drivers. In Toronto and Manhattan studies, cyclists and pedestrians were found to spend more per month in the main street areas than were people who typically arrive by car.
• Cycle and pedestrian friendly downtowns attract visitors from other neighborhoods
• Money spent on gas and insurance, which has little benefit to local businesses, is instead spent locally by cyclists and pedestrians
• Bikes provide access and transportation to those without cars to places not served well by transit

It’s good for the environment
• Cycling decreases auto congestion by replacing car trips with bike trips
• Leads to less smog or greenhouse gases, and therefore less global warming.

How do bike lanes help?
• Bike lanes and markings lead to more bikes on the road. This has been well documented in many cities including Cambridge, New York City, and Portland, OR.
• The presence of cyclists and lane markings reminds drivers to expect cyclists. Studies show that as ridership in a city increases, bicyclists’ injuries and fatalities due to accidents decreases significantly

(From http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/28/portland-sees-explosive-growth-in-bike-commuting/)

In New York, cycling injuries actually decreased as ridership increased. (From NYC DOT)

(also see http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/05/safety-in-numbers-its-happening-in-nyc/)