Adding protected bike lanes clearly benefits cyclists — bicycle infrastructure can have great capacity and deliver great deal of speed and connection — but it offers a lot more benefits as well. When presented with the opportunity to design a renovation for the public space of an area in the city center of Panama, our Curator Eduardo Quintero and his team at Forza Creativa knew they would include a bike lane in the scheme.

Because it was a government undertaking the team had to present the project to the neighbors in a public consultation. When showcasing the inclusion of the bicycle route some community members demonstrated absolute opposition for the bikeway.

The anxiety and anger that many people have about bicyclists is because we have streets designed for conflict. Pedestrians and drivers may feel nervous because everyone is fighting for the same space. A protected bike lane takes the chaos and disorganization away ultimately improving civility. Shared custody of the streets is possible when we provide a space for each group.
Here are 6 reasons why bicycle-friendly projects are good even for people who will never ride a bike:

1. Streets are safer for EVERYONE

Bicycle lanes create more distance between the sidewalk and the speeding vehicles. Also by implementing a space for the bike lane we can reduce the width of the road, which signals drivers that they should drive more carefully.

2. Less traffic

This makes all the sense in the world! The more people are on bicycles the less roadway congestion. By giving users a range of viable travel options traffic can decline by impressive amounts. By adding protected bike lanes, people are more likely to ditch their car and hop on a bike and that’s a good thing for everyone.

3. Economic Vitality

In U.S. cities companies increasingly want to locate in bicycle-friendly places as a way to attract the young workers they need in order to thrive. For example, Chicago is vigorously building bikeways as part of its pursuit of high-tech businesses, a strategy to attract some of the best talent in the industry. Similarly, local businesses will be pleased to learn that adding protected bike lanes can increase sales. The NYC Department of Transportation reported a 49% increase in business after installing protected bike lanes to 9th Avenue.

4. Saves money

A clear way to help low-income families is to make it easier to live without a car. For individuals who don’t own a car or have access to one, bicycling represents important pathways to opportunity. If you are part of the population that doesn’t care for bikes think of this: protected bike lanes are way cheaper to build compared to road projects which saves you money on Taxes.

5. Health Care

Moderate physical exercise such as bicycling for only 30 minutes a day reduces a person’s chances of diabetes, dementia, depression, colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, anxiety and high blood pressure by 40 percent or more. Since many people receive their health care from federal, state or local governments, a taxpayer who never pedals a bike will still enjoy economic benefits if other people do.

6. Sustainability and Environment

Transportation accounts for more than a quarter of all greenhouse gasses, the second largest sector after electricity. Swapping a car for a bike on short commutes of four miles to work and back would generate 2,000 less pounds of carbon every year — which adds up to a five percent reduction in the carbon footprint of an average person.

The reason for introducing bikeways to our cities is not what they do for bicyclists, but what they do for the whole community.