robbing future generations of safe routes to school, work, and shopping
The buffer created by the protected lanes will help calm traffic, creating a safer and more inviting sidewalk for pedestrians, leading to spin-off revenue for nearby businesses.[^7] People flock to Little Italy for this exact reason, which is why the Little Italy Association is willing to close several blocks to vehicular traffic on a weekly basis for the farmer's market and soon permanently for Piazza Famiglia.
Cheaper Than Cars
More than just meeting our legal obligations, the DMP will create a vibrant, multi-modal, connected downtown that will help increase affordability by reducing the need to own, maintain, and store a car.
By reducing car dependency, the city can help reduce congestion, pollution, and wear and tear on our roads, while simultaneously increasing the physical health, wealth, and happiness of its citizens.
The addition of bike lanes attracts new riders, adding new sources of revenue.[^4] Studies have shown that customers who arrive by bike spend at least as much[^5] as those who arrive by car, if not more.[^6]
There is a vocal opposition unhappy about the loss of parking, but I ask you to put the longterm health and safety of our citizens ahead of cheap car storage on public streets.[^1] Approving the plan is a necessity for future generations, but it can help improve current local businesses by making downtown a world class destination for tourists and residents alike.
Parking in dense, urban areas is not as important as most business owners think. In fact, many tend to overestimate[^2] how many customers arrive by car by as much as 32%.[^3] Many of their current customers arrive by foot, bike, and transit.
Protected bike lanes have been proven time and again to not only avoid negatively impacting businesses, but to be a net positive for the whole city. They will raise property values,[^8] attract hi-tech companies and their millennial employees,[^9] improve health and safety, and help the city achieve it's Climate Action Plan and Vision Zero goals.
Bikes Increase Safety for Everyone
If these business districts succeed in pushing bike lanes out of their neighborhoods, it reduces the effectiveness of the DMP as a whole. When the "last mile", or even just the last 50 feet of a bicycle route forces people to mix with fast moving traffic or cross busy intersections to reach their destination, it discourages all but the most seasoned and brave cyclists, who will risk their lives with or without protected lanes.
Please keep in mind that while any separated bike lanes downtown would be an improvement, the entire bike lane network should be approved in order to ensure it's success. If the bike lanes are pushed out of neighborhoods, like my own Little Italy, it will reduce the effectiveness of the network as a whole. When the “last mile”, or even just the last 50 feet of a bicycle route forces people to mix with fast moving traffic or cross busy intersections to reach their destination, it discourages all but the most seasoned and brave cyclists, who will risk their lives with or without protected lanes.
Why Bikes and SD are such a good fit
Implementing the Downtown Mobility Plan aligns with the goals of the Smart Growth and Land Use Committee by helping increase the success of the Deco Bike bike share program, by reducing Green House Gas emissions to help meet the Climate Action Plan goals, and by making dense, transit oriented development more viable with realistic alternatives to private auto usage and ownership.
Bicycle friendly businesses are already benefiting from nearly cost-free marketing channels thanks to programs like SD Bike Commuter Discount, SANDAG's own iCommute, and events hosted by BikeSD, SDCBC, and others. Every business within a block of the new cycle tracks will be able to maximize this cheap promotion. San Diego is already receiving national attention for the proposed plan and tourism will inevitably increase with a safe bicycling network.
I enjoy biking to Liberty Station with my family on the separated bike path along Harbor Drive. I hope to someday feel just as safe biking with my family around the rest of downtown.
My family enjoys biking along the harbor on the separated path and wish the rest of downtown was as safe and accessible. The Downtown Mobility Plan will allow my family and millions of other residents and tourists to safely access the businesses and amenities of downtown via one of the most affordable, safest, healthiest, environmentally friendly, and just plain fun modes of transportation available: the bicycle.
Table of Contents
My Personal Connection
How Bikes Can Save San Diego
Why Bikes and SD Are Such A Good Fit
Safety
Bikes Increase Safety for Everyone
Good For Environment
Financial
Cheaper Than Cars
Good For Local Business
Good For Local Economy
Quotes From Open Letters
My Personal Connection