Friend -   

It's easy to see that we're living in a changing country. 

The economy is rebounding after the biggest slowdown since the Great Depression. Americans are moving to cities in record numbers. And more and more people want to be in places where bicycling is easy and comfortable. 

City leaders and businesses are taking note of these trends. In response, they have discovered an unexpected tool to create opportunities in growing downtown economies: the protected bike lane. 

In our new report with PeopleForBikes, 15 business leaders explain how protected bike lanes benefit their companies. We break down the latest research to find out how these new lanes make an impact. 

Keep scrolling for a summary of the four biggest findings -- and click here to read the full report.

1. Americans - especially young people - are driving less and biking more.

Employers say their headhunters get a competitive edge by locating in areas with great biking networks, so savvy companies are locating near protected bike lanes to attract and keep Millennials and Gen X-ers.

2. Americans are flocking to urban areas, congesting city streets and creating market demand for solutions that increase street flow without adding gridlock. 

Studies show that homes near bicycle infrastructure appreciate in value more than equivalent houses away from bike lanes. 

3. With health care costs at an all-time high, companies are scrambling to get more employees exercising regularly. 

Newsflash: healthcare is expensive. Companies benefit when more employees find it pleasant to bike to the office, because workers who exercise regularly are less expensive to insure.

4. In shopping districts, the most valuable customers are those who stop by often. 

People who shop by bike tend to buy less in a single visit, but stop by more often. When space is at a high premium, these regulars make for great customers. 

To learn more, check out the report: Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business. 

If you like what you see, will you help us spread the word by sharing it?

Thanks -- happy riding, walking, and transit-taking,

Mary Lauran Hall

Communications Director

Alliance for Biking & Walking