The Economic Benefits of Bicycle Infrastructure Investments

September 24, 2009
|In Advocacy
|By BikeSD Staff

The League of American Bicyclists issued a study listing the numerous benefits gained by the bicycle industry. Key points taken directly from the study are:

  • Today the national bicycling industry contributes an estimated $133 billion a year to the U.S. economy.
  • Bike lanes can accommodate 7 to 12 times as many people per meter of lane per hour than car lanes and bicycles cause less wear on the pavement
  • CalTrans is paying $75 million to repave, not rebuild, just three miles of Interstate 710 in Los Angeles. Thus, for the cost of repaving 3 miles of rough pavement on Interstate 710, CalTrans could sign and stripe 1,250 miles of California roads for bike lanes.
  • Replacing a car trip with a bike trip saves individuals and society $2.73 per mile.

Read the entire report here.