Letter from Randy Stern regarding Economic Impact Study (City Manager’s Agenda #11) for February 12, 2024 city council meeting

1 Taylor, Bernice From: Randy Stern <[email removed]> Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2024 6:28 PM To: City Council; City Clerk; City Manager Subject: Economic Impact Study (City Manager’s Agenda #11) for February 12, 2024 city council meeting Dear City Councilors, I am writing in response to the Economic Impact Study, City Manager’s Agenda #11, related to the economic impact of installing separated bike lanes under the cycling safety ordinance. Extensive data indicates that separated bike lanes save lives, by providing safe space to separate cyclists from motor vehicles, by allowing improved pedestrian facilities to be installed simultaneously, and by slowing motor vehicle traffic to a point where collisions that do happen are less life threatening. Given the important safety benefits, it was very good to read that the study concluded that: "Looking strictly at quantitative data, there are little to no discernable differences between “treatment” areas and otherwise similar “control” areas, and most of the differences that exist are either not statistically significant or point in opposite directions." In other words, from whatever data could be analyzed, the safety benefits did not, on average, negatively impact businesses along the routes. This is encouraging news, and negates the subjective criticism of the CSO as "bad for business.' I thus urge that the city council continue to provide full support for implementing the CSO. Speaking specifically of Brattle street bike lanes, the study wrote: "Taken together, the comparison in trends point towards no noticeable impact on food and retail jobs from the construction of the separated bike lane relative to either the control corridor or citywide." Speaking specifically of Cambridge street bike lanes, the study wrote: "Overall, the trend in job growth appears unchanged in the treatment corridor after the construction of the bike when compared against either control or citywide measures." Speaking specifically of the Western Avenue bike lanes, the study wrote: "No hard conclusion can be drawn from the differences in trends; however, the employment data points to some job loss post- construction in the food and retail sectors, but the declining trend in jobs in those sectors began prior to bike lane construction."

2 All of the above speaks to a neutral impact on business from implementing separated bike lanes. It is unfortunate that the study also noted: "Meanwhile, survey data indicated that businesses in treatment areas were more likely than those in control areas to report a decrease in revenue. " This subjective feeling from business owners, although not supported by hard data (such as tax data to which the city does not have access.), could be addressed by the city in the spirit of civic unity. It would be helpful if the city could try to address these subjective feelings. So, in addition to continuing with completing the CSO implementation, it woud be helpful for the city to continue to collect hard data on the benefits to businesses of shoppers who travel by bike or foot, and to communicate those findings to local business people and more generally. Thank you for your time. Randy Stern Kenwood Street