When talking about practice cycling, there are so many benefits that come to our mind, from health to mobility matters, even though to perform this activity has more benefits than you think, including bike route construction to fight the proliferation of automobile infrastructure.
Whether is as cyclist or motorist, you might think that the ones that benefit from these bike ways are those who ride by bike.
Of course, the exclusive lanes benefit cyclist, which gives greater protection before cars, but provide advantages for society in general. Believe it, in this case, take your bike and join us in this ride. Don’t stay behind because we’re going at high speed.
Is it more affordable to construct bike ways than highways?
This isn’t a direct aspect that depends on citizenship, but the budget of each government, of course is obvious that construct a bike way is way cheaper than new highway miles.
In Mexico, the construction of 3 highway miles cost 2 million of dollars, in other words, 26.8 million of pesos. On the other hand, to create these miles of cycle path cost 2 million of pesos only.
Now, we don’t mean to construct a bike lane from Yucatan to Baja California Sur, instead of enhance the existent bike lanes. Let’s be real, what we’re trying to say is that cities can construct more bike lane kilometers in zones where don’t exist yet. In this way, can interconnect city and different means of transport.
In this sense, many people would benefit of have more mobility options and routes; without mentioning the time to commute in distances of less than 18 miles.
More cyclists are equal to more jobs
An integral bike route network can help people to get to their jobs on time. But, as we said before, this article is to stand out the indirect benefits for society that lead to create more bike ways.
For example, surprisingly, the construction of an exclusive lane for cyclists creates more direct and indirect jobs than create motorist infrastructure.
For real? Yes, for real. You’ll see… The Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) from Massachusetts University analyzed 58 projects of 11 cities of United States with the following results:
One million dollars invested in cyclist infrastructure, helped to create around 11,4 jobs: 6 direct; 2.4 indirect and 3 induced jobs. In this line, direct jobs correspond to workers in engineering and construction companies; the indirect ones that work in supply networks of industries (such as factories of materials and manufacturing of signage; the induced are for the small and median businessmen who direct and indirect workers consume a service.
On the other hand, each million dollars invested in car infrastructure create 7,8 jobs.
Traffic decongestion
More than the fact of have less traffic, we talk about the space liberation, as parking lots on streets.
San Francisco, Portland, Montreal, Frankfurt are some cities that chose to avoid vehicles park in streets and avenues. In order to achieve it, has created bike ways and by doing so the benefits of having cleaner, more free and conspicuous streets with spaces dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists.
The construction of bike ways increases your estate’s value
The past point is related with this; the development of bike ways, also develop more jobs, and can benefit to increase the value of your estate.
Isn’t a secret that while a residential area has more and variated services, its value will increase. Sure, one of the most important factors for this is the public transport connectivity. Living nearby a metro or metrobus station is a great advantage.
If you add bike ways that allow an easier and quicker arrival to other public transport services, or even to business as super markets, then we’re talking about an estate that is worth to rent or purchase.
Well, you already know, if you live nearby a bike way or thinking about rent an apartment nearby, this can help you to generate a greater income.
