Safety

• A network of safe streets will protect our most vulnerable road users, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

• Adding protected bike lanes to a street reduces collisions of all road users by 34%

• Reducing speeds on neighborhood streets from 35 mph to 20 mph reduces the chance of fatal collisions by 80%

Traffic

• Creating safe streets for active transportation typically improves traffic flow, because traffic moves better when walkers, bikers, and drivers are separated.

• More people shifting trips to active transportation will mean fewer cars on the road, and less traffic for everyone

• Reducing cut through traffic in residential neighborhoods creates safe streets for active transportation AND is great for neighborhood residents

• There will be peace on the roads when everyone has a piece of the road.

Environment

• More options for walking, biking, and rolling will mean cleaner air and less noise pollution.

• Transportation is the largest source of green house gas emissions in Pasadena. Shifting some trips to active transportation is the most feasible, cost-effective way to reduce these emissions.

• Streets that are safe for walking and biking are more enjoyable and encourage dining and shopping.

Prosperity

• Walking, biking, and public transit are great for local businesses!

• Studies consistently show that protected bike lanes help businesses, even when they replace some on-street parking.

• Roadway space for active transportation costs 70% less to maintain than roadway space for cars, so active transportation saves money for city budgets.

• Walking or biking to shop and dine is fun, healthy, and popular

• Active mobility options allow Pasadena to grow without creating as much additional car traffic

Social Justice

• Income inequality in Pasadena is stark, with 20% of households earning less than $26,059 per year

• Car ownership costs an average $7,000 - $9,000 dollars a year. Many families struggle to afford this.

• Active transportation provides affordable options, allowing all residents to move around the city.

• While buses provide an important option for many people, biking provides more schedule flexibility. Many biking trips can be completed in the time it takes to wait for a bus.

 References

New York City Department of Transportation report on Columbus Avenue Parking Protected Bicycle Path

Wesley E. Marshall, Nicholas N. Ferenchak. Why cities with high bicycling rates are safer for all road users. Journal of Transport & Health, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2019.03.004

NACTO City Limits, Speed Kills

Bloomberg News, “When Adding Bike Lanes Actually Reduces Traffic Delays” by Eric Jaffe, (2014)

Pasadena Climate Action Plan, 2018

Bloomberg CityLab, “No, Bike Lanes Don’t Hurt Retail Business”, (2013)

Protected Bicycle Lanes in NYC, New York City Department of Transportation (2014)

CBC news “Love them or hate them, research offers financial case for big city bike lanes” (2019)

Cycling Facts, Lucas Harms & Maarten Kansen, Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis (2018)

Pasadena’s Tale of Two Citites, by Peter Dreier and Mark Maier (2019)

Average annual cost of car ownership, AAA (2022)

For more research on biking, see the People for Bikes research page