Emily Drennen
Sustainable Transportation Policy and Planning

 

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Transportation Research

I did research entitled "Economic Effects of Traffic Calming on Urban Small Businesses" as my master's project in the Master's of Public Administration program at San Francisco State University. It won the Daniel M. Fabro Award for Student Research through the Institute of Transportation Engineers (D6), first place in the state-wide student research competition for the California State University system, and second place in the Sustainability category for the Air and Waste Management Association's Student Poster Competition.
 

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Abstract
Following a brief overview of previous research, a case study was undertaken to survey small business owners on their experiences with a traffic calming project in their area. If transportation engineers, city planners, and advocates can provide more effective outreach campaigns and tools for small businesses, traffic calming projects might be approved with fewer impediments, lower costs, and with more community support.

Twenty-seven randomly selected merchants located in the Mission District of San Francisco were interviewed about what impacts the Valencia Street bicycle lanes have had on their businesses. Four after the bike lanes were built, the vast majority of the interviewees expressed support for the bike lanes. Sixty-six percent of the merchants believed that the bike lanes have had a generally positive impact on their business, and the same percentage would support more traffic calming on Valencia Street. Thirty-seven percent of merchants reported that the bike lanes have increased their sales. Surprising percentages of merchants reported that increased congestion (41%) and reduced auto speed (46%) were good conditions for business. On eleven of the nineteen variables, not one merchant reported that the bike lanes had made conditions "worse", while only 6% of the overall responses were negative. These results and more are presented in the context of the aforementioned six hypotheses, and future directions for research are offered.
 

Why Urban Retail Businesses Should Support Traffic Calming Projects

"Traffic Engineer-ese" English Translation
Traffic calming can bring about economic revitalization through increased development, productivity, investment, competition, and business activity. Livable communities support thriving local businesses.
Traffic calming can attract people to shop, eat, and socialize in an area. New customers with zero effort or expense. Really, it is that good of a deal.
Residents who don't own cars have more discretionary income to spend. Traffic calming can help people live less car-dependent lifestyles, which will increase the amount of money they can spend on things other than transportation. If people don't need their cars, they'll have more money to spend at your store.
Traffic calming encourages local residents to buy in their own neighborhoods, and also attracts customers from a wider area due to reduced travel time, hassle, and cost. From nearby and far, shoppers gather at windows, credit card in hand.
Traffic calming reduces auto speed, which is good for business. Make rubbernecking work for you!
Traffic calming can increase residential and commercial property values, which attracts wealthier residents and creates better business conditions. Rich people are notorious for having money to spend.
Traffic calming projects will only require minimal "down time" for construction, and will not require any investment from business owners. It'll be quick and painless, and better yet, free.
Poor bike/ped/transit conditions and too much parking can harm businesses by losing worker productivity and time to gridlock, and impair employee recruitment. The status quo is hurting your bottom line.