Good Bike Lanes are Good for Everyone

Vancouver recently tried an experiment where they shut down one lane of traffic on a crowded bridge to create dedicated space for bicycle commuters. This led to predictions of traffic chaos but it’s actually working out nicely as pedestrians and cyclists can now commute safely and cars aren’t frustrated by slower-moving bicycles trying to weave around them. And thus far we’re only looking at the very short-term effect. Improving the safety and quality of experience for cyclists and pedestrians might tempt more people into traveling in those ways, and thus reduce the number of cars trying to share the road.

This heartwarming tale comes to us from Greater Greater Washington and Freakonomics. The larger point is that while there are some real conflicts of interest in urban design and transportation issues, it’s generally not a narrow zero-sum enterprise. Poorly designed systems are ultimately harmful to most stakeholders irrespective of the details of their situation.