In the midst of controversy, Valencia Street’s center-running bike lane has been a source of contention among businesses. Numerous business owners have claimed that the bike lane has had a detrimental impact on their establishments. However, a new report from the City Controller’s Office sheds light on this issue, revealing that there is no statistical evidence to support these claims.
The report analyzed the city’s taxable sales database to determine the impact of the bike lane on businesses along the corridor. The findings showed that while individual businesses may have been negatively affected by the bike lane, any adverse impacts were offset by positive effects on other businesses. As a result, there was no net effect on the corridor as a whole.
Despite this, merchants along Valencia Street continue to be at odds with the city’s transit agency over the bike lane. Some business owners, such as David Quinby of Amado’s bar, have blamed the bike lane for their closures despite facing other challenges such as a devastating basement flood. However, Quinby and other merchants who are opposed to side-running bike lanes raised concerns that these changes could be even more detrimental than the current setup.
In response to this controversy, officials announced that they would relocate Valencia Street’s center-running bike lane to a conventional side-running lane. The work is expected to begin soon, although some merchants have requested that it be postponed until next year out of fear for their businesses. Officials noted that while side-running lanes may offer some benefits in terms of safety and accessibility for cyclists, they also come with potential drawbacks for nearby businesses. The situation remains fluid and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
