“Shop local” isn't just for shopping by car

Studies from around the world find that merchants underestimate and undervalue walk-in, bicycle, and transit access to their businesses. It's true that motorists can buy more on a single store visit, but pedestrians and bicycle riders (when they can get there safely) often patronize nearby businesses more frequently. Why is this? A motorist with a tank of gas will not think twice about going to a favorite hair-cutting salon two cities away while passing four salons on the way out of town. The pedestrian or bicycle rider is more aware of and loyal to local businesses because freeway travel is not an option and they only have so many calories to burn—they don't want to travel far.


San Pablo Avenue is where many, if not most, of El Cerrito’s retail and services are located. Not surprisingly, that’s where pedestrians and bicycle riders would like to shop if possible. In our survey of new members, bicyclists and walkers overwhelmingly cited San Pablo as the most challenging place to travel in town. There is presently no provision for safe non-automobile shopping—no bike lanes and sparse bike parking. Likewise, crossing over San Pablo on foot to reach businesses on the other side is often a harrowing experience.


The two maps below show the shopping routes of a fictional El Cerrito resident traveling by car versus by bike. The maps highlight the linear movements of non-automobile shoppers that patronize San Pablo Avenue businesses, and the travel routes motorists take to access widely dispersed businesses. If safe bike lanes were on the avenue and businesses had secure and visible bike racks, then local shopping would be more viable for those who don't or can't drive; this would be supportive of shop-local campaigns benefiting El Cerrito's economy. 


Bike lanes and other street design modifications to slow down traffic and allow all to get across the avenue safely would be especially beneficial for residents of the Richmond Annex who don't have long adjacent parallel streets to take them to avenue locations. San Pablo Avenue must be designed as a multimodal street that serves all local shoppers, especially as new housing gets built there.



Bicycle riders' shopping trips are constrained by physical effort and the safety of routes.


Motorists' shopping trips are constrained by the amount of gasoline in their car tanks.









 

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