(Photos © J. Maus)
There are many ways that being bike-friendly impacts a city’s bottom line. We might not always be able to quantify it with a study or whip out statistics to back it up, but the impact is real. One demonstration of that impact I’ve noticed a lot since doing this site is how our reputation for being bike-friendly draws new residents and businesses to the area.
Here are just two stories I came across in the past few days that confirms this phenomenon.
Yesterday, The Oregonian’s Silicon Forest blog reported that OVP Venture Partners, “arguably Oregon’s most visible venture capital firm”, recently moved into a building just south of the Hawthorne Bridge. Here’s the snip from The O (emphasis mine):
“If you were to ask me five or 10 years ago: ‘Where should we be?’ I would have said Beaverton or Hillsboro,” Gerry said.
Contemporary startups tend to be focused on software or Web services, which don’t require large numbers of employees or big offices in the suburbs. And today’s Northwest entrepreneur tends to be younger, Gerry added, with specific lifestyle aims.
“That sort of young, hip talent pool…really like commuting by bike or public transit and don’t want to fight 217 or 26,” he said.
Then comes this story from the News Gazette in Champaign, Illinois:
“When Daniel Penner and Anona Whitley yearned for a change of scenery, they didn’t just hop on a plane and head some place warm. Instead, the two former Champaign Cycle employees decided to move to Portland, Ore., and experience all the scenery along the way from the top of their bicycles.
Neither of the 23-year-old biking enthusiasts owns a car and they were attracted to the bike-friendly atmosphere of Portland.
“We’ve chosen not to own cars,” Penner said. “If you’re going to do that, Portland is the place to be…
… Whitley has recently landed a job with a women’s sporting apparel company, Team Estrogen. She is looking forward to commuting to work on her bike.
So far Portland is everything they had hoped for – friendly people, plentiful bike trails, excellent public transportation and mild weather.
“A lot of it has to do with being environmentally conscious, but we just love riding bicycles and would rather do that than drive cars,” Penner said.”
I’m no economist, but it seems to me that — especially in this economy — anything that draws businesses and smart young people to your city is a good thing.